Hong Jiseon Vows to Persuade Both Parties for Passage of Administrative Capital Act Within This Year

Response at Confirmation Hearing for Land Minister Nominee
Five Special Administrative Capital Relocation Bills Under Review

On September 16, during her confirmation hearing, Hong Jiseon, the nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated regarding the Special Administrative Capital Act, "I will provide explanations regardless of lawmakers' party affiliation, and if there are any shortcomings, I will work to address them."

Hong made this remark in response to Bok Giwang of the Democratic Party, who asked, "I am considering the Administrative Capital Act as the first bill to be handled. Are you willing to do your utmost to ensure the passage of this bill, even if it means mobilizing every ministry?" Assemblyman Bok serves as the secretary of the ruling party's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and chairs the Land Legislation Subcommittee, which oversees the Administrative Capital Act.

Previously, Assemblyman Bok, together with Eom Taeyoung of the People Power Party, jointly sponsored the "Special Act for the Construction of the Administrative Capital." The main content of this bill is to designate Sejong Special Self-Governing City as the administrative capital and relocate major constitutional institutions such as the National Assembly and the presidential office. A total of 53 lawmakers from both parties have signed on as cosponsors. In addition to this bill, four more special bills that designate the administrative capital and mandate the relocation of major agencies have been submitted in the current 22nd National Assembly. All are currently pending in the subcommittee of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee.

Hong Jiseon, nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is responding to lawmakers' questions at a confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on September 16, 2026. Photo by Dongju Yoon

On this day, Assemblyman Bok stressed, "If the Administrative Capital Act does not move forward, the starting point for balanced national development will not be established, and the 'Five Axes and Three Special Zones' policy may end up as little more than empty rhetoric." He urged, "Please push for the bill with the goal of passing it within this year."

Similarly, Hwang Unha of the National Innovation Party, who also sponsored the Administrative Capital Act, called for the enactment of the law within the year during the hearing. He suggested that since the construction of the presidential office and National Assembly building in Sejong is already underway, it would be appropriate to first establish the relevant regulations on the scope of relocations and then develop concrete relocation plans. He also proposed the idea of a Sejong Diplomatic Town, which would include the relocation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and key embassies and diplomatic missions, as well as a Sejong Judicial Town, which would bring judicial and legal functions, including the Supreme Court, to Sejong.

On the 13th of last month, at Sejong City Hall, participants shouted the slogan "Enact the Special Act on Administrative Capital within the Year" during the launch ceremony of the National Committee for the Enactment of the Special Act on Administrative Capital. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Assemblyman Hwang said, "The administrative capital is not complete just by building a single office or relocating a few ministries. The core functions of the nation—including the presidential office, the National Assembly, central administrative agencies, as well as the judiciary, legal, and diplomatic functions—must all operate organically in Sejong."

Hong agreed with Assemblyman Hwang's points, stating, "In order to accelerate the passage of the Special Administrative Capital Act, I will actively cooperate with the legislative discussions in the National Assembly and work to promptly implement the necessary enforcement decrees so that the law can be put into action as soon as possible."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.