Sejong City

Sejong ( Kor. 세종 ) is a planned city in the South Korean province of Chungcheongnam -do.

Name

The new city is officially called the Special Autonomous Sejong City ( Kor. 세종 특별 자치 시 ). The name was chosen as a reminder of the Korean King Sejong ( 1397-1450 ). Previously called the area Yeongi ( 연기 ,燕 岐).

History

In 2003, then-President Roh Moo -hyun, the capital of South Korea of Seoul in the province of Chungcheongnam -do planned in the now Sejong is built to relocate, but failed in these plans in 2004 before the Constitutional Court. In early 2007 the South Korean government therefore decided to build a special administrative district, which was initially to house nine ministries and four national agencies. The plan was for a city with a population of 20,000 ( end of 2012), 300,000 (2020 ) and about 500,000 people for completion in 2030. The costs of the project are given as 20 billion dollars.

In September 2009, the then Prime Minister Chung Un -chan, that the construction of Sejong City as the National Management Centre " from an economic perspective, no effective action " is. In addition, you do worrying whether Sejong City could be the capital of a united Korea and whether Sejong will not evolve over time to a satellite city of Seoul. The current president Lee Myung -bak was with his Prime Minister agree and suggested instead the construction of an administrative district Sejong City before a scientific and educational center. However, the South Korean parliament overturned this proposal, whereupon Chung Un -chan resigned in late July 2010.

The development of a center for science, education and the economy will continue forward. There are nine ministries, two government offices, two government agencies and 16 government research institutes are located. The key agencies such as the Office of the President and the foreign and defense ministries, however, should continue to remain in Seoul.

In addition, the cultural life by museums, theaters and concert halls to be strengthened. By the end of June 2012 attracted 6,000 inhabitants according to Sejong, which so far only the first village Cheot Maeul existed. In the first phase move of the authorities end of 2012, seven ministries and the Prime Minister's office had moved. After the third relocation period in October 2014, be located in the new administrative city of 16 ministries and agencies and 20 NGOs. Then, to about 10,000 government employees and 3,000 scientists work in Sejong.