Korea’s planned Multifunctional Administrative City (MAC), Sejong City was established to host national government departments and agencies in order to relieve crowding in Seoul. Officially opened in 2012, the city was proposed by President Roh Moo Hyun, who envisioned Sejong City as the nation’s new, more centrally located capital. However, President Roh’s plans for the city were brought to a halt with the Constitutional Court ruling against the transference of South Korea’s capital to Sejong City in 2004.

Sejong City, a rural town turned MAC has been gaining attention in recent years from foreigners who both visit and live in the city. A joint partnership between KDI School of Public Policy and Management and Sejong City has been established in order to promote Sejong as a global city. In order to facilitate the promotion of the city, a group of eight international students from the KDI School have been appointed as Sejong City’s “SNS Supporters”.

The Sejong Social Networking System (Sejong SNS) Supporters program is a Sejong City Hall initiative with the aim of promoting the city in the social network through young Koreans and foreign students. The foreign membership is made up of students of KDI School and the Korea University. The program runs from March to October 2016. (Maybe explain what SNS is and how you will use it). During this period, the participants of the Sejong SNS Supporters have to attend and be involved in Sejong City’s key promotional events. To contribute further in making Sejong a “foreigner friendly city”, the eight supporters also elaborated and submitted a policy proposal titled “Creating a Foreigner-Friendly City”, proposing various activities and events to the Department of Public Relations of the Sejong MAC.  

For Lukong Mirabelle Keafon (MDP, Fall 2015: Cameroon), one of the participants of the Sejong SNS Supporters Program, apart from promoting a better understanding about how Sejong City is managed and run, this program is also an opportunity for her to integrate some city planning aspects into her career then adapting and proposing this back in her own country. Besides the benefits of being part of the Sejong City SNS Supporters, Lukong also notes there is a large responsibility in “representing the KDI School in the SNS program [and] equally portraying the image that the school dearly wants to preserve”.

Meanwhile, KDI School students also participated in the recent Peach Blossom National Marathon Competition and Peach Blossom Festival held in Sejong City on April 17.

Co-hosted by Sejong City Sports Committee and the Federation of Athletic Associations, the Peach Blossom National Marathon Competition attracted more than 2,000 participants.

Among nine KDI School students who ran in the marathon (5km division), Msimelelo Ndlovu and Youssef Boumaiz came fourth and fifth respectively.

As for the Peach Blossom Festival, more than 30,000 guests visited the venue including 23 KDI School students. Students were able to meet local residents and interact with Mayor Lee Chun-hee as well as newly elected National Assembly member for Sejong Lee Hae-chan.

By Kilton Portugal (2015 MDP, Mozambique)