South Korea will hold an international competition for the design of the nation's new administrative capital in September.

A special committee on the relocation of the new capital said Monday it will select a panel of judges that will be in charge of the international competition by August.

Applicants for the contest will begin registration in September and October and will be required to submit their works by February 2005.

The committee will subsequently announce the winner in March.

The committee said it will hold the competition to make the new capital the "best city in the world."

The committee hopes the competition will draw much attention from both Korea and overseas as it would be the first new administrative capital to be built in the 21st century.