The construction project of the Multifunctional Administrative City was initiated to alleviate overcrowding in the capital area, promote balanced national development, and enhance national competitiveness. This was pursued through the enactment of the "Special Act on the Construction of the Multifunctional Administrative City in the Yeongi-Gongju Area" (March 2005, hereinafter referred to as the "Happy City Act"). Subsequently, amendments to the "National Assembly Act" (September 2021) and the "Happy City Act" (May 2022) provided the legal foundation for the establishment of the National Assembly Sejong Building and the Sejong Presidential Office. Based on this, the project to create the National Symbolic District, including key national facilities, is underway.
The National Symbolic District is a space that symbolizes the dignity and identity of the Republic of Korea and embodies the values the nation aspires to. As the Sejong Presidential Office and the National Assembly Sejong Building are to be established together within this district, a creative and strategic approach is required—not merely a functional arrangement but a harmonious composition within a space representing the state and its people. This calls for an integrated, three-dimensional spatial plan in which city and architecture are organically connected, rather than a uniform, two-dimensional urban plan.
Accordingly, this competition is being held to select a master plan for the National Symbolic District. Through this competition, we expect diverse solutions from experts regarding what a space symbolizing the nation should be, how the core national institutions should function within it, and what they should represent. By transparently disclosing all stages of the competition leading to the selection of the winning proposal and by conducting a fair evaluation that reflects public opinion, we aim to create a National Symbolic District that citizens can take pride in and cherish.
