Sejong (세종) is South Korea's central administrative capital city. It is a planned new city in the center of Chungcheong Province, established for the purpose of dispersing government agencies and developing the central region.
Understand
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Originally intended to shift the South Korean economy and government away from Seoul as the nation's new capital city since 2002, as of 2025, Sejong City has the more modest goal of hosting many government agencies. It is further from the border with North Korea than Seoul, which would allow the government to function more effectively in the event of war. It opened in 2012, and much of the city is still under construction.
History
[edit]The first historical records Sejong City appeared in the Geography 4 section of "Samguksagi" (삼국사기) under the name "Duyingji (두잉지) Prefecture and Guji (구지) Prefecture". Therefore, based on historical records, the historical era of Sejong City can be seen from the Baekje period. However, given the excavation of Paleolithic and Neolithic relics near the Geumgang area, it seems that people lived here since much more earlier. The economy began to grow with the opening of the Gyeongbu Line Railway and Jochiwon Station in 1905, and various university campuses and agricultural and industrial complexes were built in the 1980s. After that, with the goal of becoming an administrative complex city in the 2000s, it was launched on July 1, 2012 under the name of Sejong Special Self-Governing City.
Climate
[edit]Sejong appears similar to the climate in Daejeon and Chungnam destrict, and shows lower temperatures and rainfall than the national average.
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Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]The city is 90 minutes south from Seoul by train on the Gyeongbu Line. KTX, the high-speed rail does not stop at Sejong, but stops at Osong Station, which is 25 minutes away by a car.
The three stations below are the Gyeongbu Line station located in Sejong City. Among the above, Jochiwon Station has the largest number of trains.
By bus
[edit]In the case of Seoul, Seoul Gyeongbu Terminal is the only terminal with a bus route to Sejong. There are bus routes to Sejong Government Complex 2 (세종2청사), Sejong Policy Coordination Office (세종국무조정실), Sejong City Hall (세종시청), Sejong Areum-dong (세종아름동), Sejong Research Complex (세종연구단지), Government Complex Sejong(세종청사), and Sejong Terminal (세종터미널).
There is also a bus rapid transit (BRT) route from Osong and Daejeon to Sejong, so it is also possible to take a BRT bus from the city above to Sejong.
By plane
[edit]The nearest airport with commercial flights is Cheongju International Airport. Using the B3 bus from Cheongju Airport, it takes about an hour to get to Sejong Express Intercity Bus Terminal.
By car
[edit]Sejong is located near the Gyeongbu Expressway (No. 1) and Cheonan–Nonsan Expressway (No. 25). From Seoul, it takes around 2~3 hours by car depending on traffic.
Get around
[edit]By bus
[edit]
While Sejong has bus rapid transit (BRT), the city buses are not frequent enough to be considered reliable. There is a long dispatch time of 10 minutes or 50 minutes, Most people rely on driving to get between destinations.
An adult bus ticket costs ₩1200 by cash and ₩1150 with transit card for travel within Sejong City boundary. Additional charges apply for travel outside of the city boundary. Up to three free transfers within 60 mins are allowed if you pay by transit card.
By bicycle
[edit]It is convenient to ride a bicycle due to the characteristics of bicycle-only roads everywhere and comfortable parking due to bicycle parking in all directions.
- Eoulling (어울링). It is a public bicycle in Sejong City and has high quality, such as installing 7-speed gears, showing high utilization rate. In order to use it, membership registration through a smartphone app is required. ₩1000 per day.
See
[edit]
- 1 Milmaru Observatory (밀마루전망대), 58 Doum 3-ro, ☏ +82 44 862 8845. 10:00-11:30, 13:30-17:00 daily (closed on three major national holidays). A 9-story observatory with a 360 degrees overview of the Sejong City. Free entry and free parking.
- 2 Dokrakjeong Pavilion (독락정) (Follow the footpath going uphill passing the tombs of Buan Lee Clan). Open from sunrise to sunet. This historic pavilion was built in 1437. It is a cultural heritage site. Free entry.
- 3 Space Geodetic Observation Center (우주측지관측센터), 276-71 Wolsangongdan-ro, Yeongi-myeon, ☏ +82 44 860 4006. M-F: 10:00-noon, 13:00-17:00. An operating observatory with exhibits about South Korea involvement in astronomy and space. Free. Groups of 10 or more require prior reservation.
- 4 Sejong National Arboretum (국립세종수목원), 212-24 Sumokwon-ro Sejong-dong, ☏ +82 044-251-0001. 09:00-18:00 in Summer season (Mar-Oct), 09:00-17:00 in winter season (Nov-Feb), closed on Monday. National Arboretum of Sejong is an organization established to preserve and utilize forest biological resources in the temperate central region. Consisting of 22 gardens, 4548 plant species are preserved. A variety cultural events are also held throughout the seasons. ₩5000 for adult, ₩4000 for youth, ₩3000 for child.
- 5 Beartree Park (베어트리파크), ☏ +82 044-866-7766. 09:00-19:00 in summer season (Mar-Nov), 10:00-19:00 in winter season (Dec-Feb). Beartree Park is a zoo and arboretum where you can see animals such as Asiatic black bears and brown bears, and flowers and trees. More than 100 Asiatic and brown bears and 1,000 kinds of plants can be seen. ₩13,000 for adult, ₩11,000 for youth, ₩9,000 for child.
- 6 Presidential Archives (대통령기록관), 250, Dasom-ro, ☏ +82 044-211-2000 (Automated Response System). 10:00-18:00, Closed on Monday. It is an institution that collects and preserves documents, photos, videos, and furniture left by previous presidents and provides services for the public to use.
- 7 Government Complex Sejong Rooftop Garden (정부세종청사 옥상정원), 11, Doum 6-ro, ☏ +82 044-200-1580. three times a day(10:00, 13:30, 15:30). With an area about 3.6 km long and the size of 12 football fields, it is the world's largest rooftop garden that connects 15 government buildings. The rooftop garden has 1.44 million plants of 310 species, and space by plant theme, with a variety of tree species.
- 8 Gobok Nature Park (고복자연공원), 586, Dosingobok-ro, Yeonseo-myeon (About 7km along Local Road 604 from Jochiwon Station to Gongju via Citizens' Gymnasium (10 minutes required)). It is a park built around the Gobok reservoir. In the middle of the reservoir, there is a pavilion called "Minrakjeong(민락정)" where can see the scenery.
- 9 Sejong Museum (세종시립민속박물관), 75, Geumsa-gil, Jeonui-myeon, ☏ +82 044-300-8831, 8832, 8851. 09:00-18:00, closed on Monday.. Collect, study, and exhibit folk materials. Aiming to record life, folklore, culture, and art, it has a collection of more than 11,000 artifacts. Free.
Do
[edit]- 1 Sejong Lake Park (세종 호수공원), 114-123, Sejong, ☏ +82 044-850-4370. 5:00-23:00 daily. It is the largest artificial lake park in Korea with an average depth of 3 meters. There are five artificial islands decorated by themes, and trails and bicycle paths are created along the lake.
- 2 Dweeungbark Village (뒤웅박 고을), 90-43, Baeil-gil, Jeondong-myeon, ☏ +82 1588-0093. 09:00-19:00 (Museum 10:00-18:00). Dweeungbark Village was created to inherit the traditional fermented sauces, and various exhibitions and experiences are prepared.
- 3 Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge (금강보행교, 이응다리), 29-111, Sejong-dong, ☏ +82 044-868-9127. 06:00-23:00 (open 24/7). It is the longest walking-only bridge in Korea, and the circumference was set at 1446 m in commemoration of 1446 when King Sejong the Great spread the Hangul. The upper floor is used for walking and the lower floor for bicycles.
- 4 Jocheon Cherry Blossom Path (조천 벚꽃길), Jocheon Bridge in Sang-ri, Jochiwon-eup, ☏ +82 044-300-5356. As one of the three cherry blossom paths in Sejong, cherry blossoms are spread along the water path that flows between Jochiwon-eup and Osong-eup.
- 5 National library of Korea, Sejong (국립세종도서관), 48, Dasom 3-ro, ☏ +82 044-900-9114. Since its opening in 2013, National library of Korea, Sejong has hosted a variety of cultural events, exhibitions, and lectures. In addition, visitors can experience regular policy academies, book concerts, and exhibitions.
- 6 Sejong central Park (세종중앙공원), 1204 Sejong-dong, ☏ +82 044-850-4370. 05:00-23:00. It is a park consisting of the Jangnamdeul Plaza for various festivals and events, a complex sports facility where you can enjoy sports, a family leisure forest where you can enjoy leisure as a family, and a family art forest where you can hold small cultural events.
Events
[edit]- 7 Sejong Hangeul Festival (세종한글축제), Sejong Lake Park, Sejong Central Park, ☏ +82 044-850-0592. every October. It is a citizen-participating urban culture festival with a variety of attractions and entertainment under the theme of "Hangul, Science, and Music" centered on King Sejong and talent in the Sejong era.
- 8 Jochiwon Peach Festival (조치원복숭아축제), around the main streets, Sejong Civic Stadium, ☏ +82 044-300-2512. late July to early August every year. It is a festival designed to help peach farmers secure sales channels, and consists of programs that can be enjoyed not only during the day but also at night under the theme of "Fresh Jochiwon Peach."
- 9 Sejong Nakhwa Festival (세종낙화축제), Sejong Lake Park, Sejong Central Park, ☏ +82 044-850-0593. It is a night festival that originated from the traditional Korean ritual, Nakhwa, which means falling flame. Nakhwa is a ritual of hanging Nakhwa Peak from branches, poles, or strings to blow away the negative energy while enjoying the shape and sound of the falling fireworks. The Nakhwa Festival promotes the unique intangible heritage of the region and allows people to enjoy high-quality cultural performances together. Held in May every year.
- 10 Sejong City Light Festival (세종 빛 축제), Near the Geumgang Walking Bridge. The Sejong City Light Festival, which was first held in 2023, is the representative winter festival of Sejong held in December, with various light sculptures and photo zones set up around Iungdari and waterside parks. Various performances and events held in christmas season, from December 22 to 25, and a countdown fireworks show for the New Year also held.
Learn
[edit]Universities actively accept foreign and exchange students, and there are courses that can be taken without prerequisites.
- 1 Korea University Sejong Campus, 2511, Sejong-ro, Jochiwon-eup, ☏ +82 044-860-1114. There is a Korean Language Intensive Program (KLIP) during the regular language training course, and foreigners who are new to learning Korean can also register. Foreign students can learn Korean and experience culture with the help of Korean students.
- 2 Hongik University Sejong Campus, 2639, Sejong-ro, Jochiwon-eup, ☏ +82 044-860-2114. The International Language Education Center runs a Korean language curriculum, and Beginner 1 is for students who have no experience learning Korean. You can experience culture through cultural experience programs and the "Korean Hanmadang" festival every semester.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Sejong Traditional Market, 42 Jochiwon 8-gil, ☏ +82 44 868 4209. The 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th and 29th of each month. Opened since 1931, the 320-store market has vendors that sell local and nearby food, fruit, seafood, household goods and clothing.
- 2 Sejong Daepyeong Market (세종대평시장), Yongpo-ro, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 044-867-3838. The 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22th and 27th of each month. A permanent market has been opened since the great flood in 1946, and 69 stores exist. In addition, there are many cultural resources such as the nearby Baekro habitat and Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest.
- 3 Jeonui Wang-ui-mul Market (전의왕의물시장), Jangteo-gil, Jeonui-myeon, ☏ +82 044-846-0259. The 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22th and 27th of each month. It was opened in 1946 and has about 70 stores. In addition, there are many tourism and cultural resources nearby.
- 4 Bugang Traditional Market (부강전통시장), Bugang-ri, Bugang-myeon, ☏ +82 044-867-7191. The 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th of each month. It was opened in 1964 and has about 60 stores. The number of market users is estimated to be about 300.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Jangwon Gap Kalguksu (장원갑칼국수), 2nd Floor, 32, Heomanseok 1-ro, Jochiwon-eup, ☏ +82 0507-1386-0925. 10:30-21:00, break time 16:00-17:00. It is a restaurant with a good menu composition, and has a large parking space, so it is accessible.
- 2 Dangmiso (당미소), 1st Floor, 61, Bodeum 7-ro, ☏ +82 0507-1352-0866. 11:00-21:30, break time 15:30-16:30. It is a popular Korean restaurant with Korean beef hot pot using shiitake mushrooms and beef ribs.
- 3 Sanjanggarden (산장가든), 1131-7, Dosingobok-ro, Yeonseo-myeon, ☏ +82 044-867-3333. 1st floor 11:00-21:00, break time 15:00-16:00, 2nd floor 11:30-14:00. It is a Korean restaurant where charcoal ribs are popular.
- 4 Bapsang Charyeojuneun Jip (밥상차려주는집), Room 215, Building A, Sejong Business Building, 232 Gareum-ro, ☏ +82 0507-1462-5133. 11:00-21:00, break time 15:00-17:00. It is a famous restaurant in Sejong City, which is famous for various Korean table menus.
- 5 Fastars (빠스타스), 4th Floor, Geumgang Building, 43 Dalbit-ro, ☏ +82 0507-1401-1992. 11:30-21:00, break time 15:00-17:30. The restaurant has a wide variety of menus that reinterpret authentic Italian cuisine in a modern way.
- 6 Bugangok (부강옥), 103, Bugangoecheon-ro, Bugang-myeon, ☏ +82 044-866-3362. 08:00-20:00, close on Tuesday.. It's a restaurant that's been selling sundae for three generations. It won the Blue Ribbon Award, and sometimes there's waiting. 12,000~35,000.
- 7 Jinsung Minsokchon (진성민속촌), 125, Chungyeon-ro, Bugang-myeon, ☏ +82 044-277-6262. 05:00-14:00. It is a restaurant with bone meat hangover soup and gamjatang as its main menu.
- 8 Ongi (온기), 47, Naseongbuk-ro, ☏ +82 044-998-6577. 11:00-21:00 (Break time: 15:00-17:30), closed on every Tuesday.. Brunch cafe with a comfortable atmosphere. It features a white and clean interior.
- 9 Chungnam Sundae (충남순대), 97-11 Yongpo-ro, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 044-862-0355. 09:00-20:00, closed on Sunday. Chungnam Sundae is a popular sundae gukbap restaurant located in Geumnam-myeon. With a good waiting system, visitors can enter relatively quickly, and visit conveniently by using a nearby public parking lot. Sundae Gukbap ₩10000.
Drink
[edit]Cafe
[edit]- 1 Choi Hanok Cafe (초이한옥카페), 2, Daegyohaesol 2-gil, Janggun-myeon, ☏ +82 0507-1416-4988. 11:00-19:30 (19:00 last order). Choi Hanok Cafe is a large three-story cafe located in Janggun-myeon, where you can use the second-floor space when you are accompanied by a dog. Coconut Smoothie ₩5800.
- 2 Leedo Coffee (이도커피 세종호탄점), 55-11, Hotan-gil, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 044-867-2507. 10:00-21:30 (21:00 last order). Leedo Coffee Sejong Hotan Branch is a large cafe located in Geumnam-myeon, and offers a variety of drinks such as coffee menu, seasonal fruit juice, and herbal tea. Hibiscus Lemonade ₩6500.
- 3 Memory Factory (메모리팩토리), 43, Bareun 7-gil, ☏ +82 0507-1303-9211. 10:00-21:00. Memory Factory features a cozy atmosphere and spacious space. Coffee is available in a variety of choices, from hand drip to signature drinks.
- 4 Coffee D (커피D), 60, Geumnamgujeuk-ro, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 0507-1351-6547. 09:30-21:40 (21:30 last order). There are plenty of coffee menus and bakeries, Salted Cream Latte and Condensed Milk Latte are popular menus, and the combination of soft cream and strong coffee is impressive. Salted Cream Latte ₩7000.
- 5 Look Back (룩백), 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 184-26 Gongdan-ro, Yeongi-myeon, ☏ +82 044-868-9904. 10:00-21:00 (last order 20:30). The menu is diverse, ranging from brewing specialty coffees to non-coffee beverages, with the Matcha Shot Green Spanner and Americano being especially popular. Americano ₩4800.
- 6 Beanstella Cafe (빈스텔라), 1st Floor, 2nd Floor, 3rd Floor, Building 1, 155 Taesan-ro, Yeondong-myeon, ☏ +82 0507-1427-3233. 10:30-20:00 (last order 19:30). It features a large space and a variety of seating composition, and there are plenty of menu options such as handmade tea and seasonal drinks to satisfy various tastes. Black Sesame Cream Latte ₩6500.
Bar
[edit]- Lounge 46 (라운지46), ☏ +82 44-863-3301. 11:00~01:00. Wine Lounge Bar. Located on the 46th floor, you can drink wine while looking at the panoramic view of Sejong.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Courtyard by Marriott SEJONG (코트야드 바이 메리어트 세종), 6, Dasom 3-ro, ☏ +82 044-251-4000. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. This hotel has quiet and cozy rooms, seasonal food and lounge areas, and has a panoramic view of Sejong Lake Park and the city center.
- 2 Best Western Plus Sejong Hotel Sejong (베스트웨스턴플러스호텔세종), 7, Doum 1-ro, ☏ +82 044-330-3300. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Upscale. Near Government Complex.
- 3 Cheongbyeok Vivaldi Pension (청벽비발디펜션), 161 Geumsong-ro, Janggun-myeon, ☏ +82 044-881-7755. You can see Cheongbyeoksan Mountain and Geumgang River here, and it is easy as a place for group meetings.
- 4 DMZ Private Pool Villa (프라이빗풀빌라 DMZ), 201-26, Seonggang-gil, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 010-7187-1170. There are various facilities such as private pools.
- 5 Gallery Motel (갤러리모텔), 464 Sejong-ro, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 044-864-2223. It is located 5 minutes away from Sejong Express Intercity Bus Terminal and provides a clean and comfortable rest area.
- 6 Gugong Stay (구공스테이), 16-6, Wonbuyong-gil, Geumnam-myeon, ☏ +82 0507-1353-7616 (Sejong), +82 0507-1439-4994 (Anon), +82 0507-1375-9268 (Goeun). Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. It is a pool villa stay on the 4th floor, which consists of a play area on the 3rd floor, a large swimming pool, and a rooftop terrace on the 4th floor. Each room (Sejong Stay, Anon Stay, Goeun Stay) is registered and managed as an individual operator.
- 7 New Sejong Motel (뉴세종모텔), 202, Eutteum-gil, Jochiwon-eup, ☏ +82 044-868-6400. Each room has a different interior so that visitors can feel a new atmosphere, all rooms have computer internet and Wi-Fi zones, and you can watch Netflix (account required) with a wall-mounted TV of 42 inches or more.
Connect
[edit]On Sejong City's city buses, visitors can use Wi-Fi with 'PublicWifi@BUS_Free' or 'PublicWifi@BUS_Secure' SSID.
Go next
[edit]The city is between the other South Korean cities of Daejeon, Cheonan and Cheongju.