Democratic Party eyes return to Sejong City Hall after four years, focusing on residential conditions

Sejong City, a municipality conceived from the late President Roh Moo-hyun's vision of an administrative capital, is gearing up for a mayoral election where the Democratic Party aims to reclaim its traditional stronghold. The city's establishment was rooted in the goal of balanced national development, making its political leanings historically aligned with the Democratic Party.

The election pits Democratic candidate Cho Sang-ho against incumbent People Power Party mayor Choi Min-ho. The election of a People Power Party candidate in 2022 was seen as an anomaly, reflecting Sejong's ongoing struggle to fully establish itself as a livable "residential city" beyond its administrative functions. Current polling suggests a shift back towards the Democratic Party, with a recent KBS survey showing Cho Sang-ho leading Choi Min-ho significantly.

While Choi Min-ho's campaign emphasizes "improving residential conditions" over completing the "administrative capital" status, Cho Sang-ho is focusing on hardware infrastructure. His pledges include establishing a new KTX Sejong Central Station at the intersection of the Chungcheong region's express railway, attracting the Korea National University of Arts, and developing Sejong DMC. He also plans to increase housing supply in older districts to bridge the gap between the city's core and its surrounding areas. Cho has also proposed attracting global companies to a national industrial complex, ensuring long-term supply of ultra-pure water crucial for semiconductor manufacturing.

Choi Min-ho, meanwhile, plans to continue his "Geum River development" initiative, aiming to expand waterfront spaces by operating the Sejong Weir and connecting it to central parks. He also promised the underground development of Jochwon Station as a multimodal hub and reiterated commitments to hosting an international garden expo and revitalizing smart industries. Both candidates are vying to position Sejong as a self-sufficient city, with Choi stressing the need for industrial complex completion, investment attraction through special zones, and fostering high-value future industries to reach a population of 500,000.