500,000 sign petition opposing Yoon's relocation plan

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol presents the relocation plan for the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul to the Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan District, March 20. Yonhap

By Lee Hae-rin

Over 500,000 people have signed a petition calling for the withdrawal of Yoon's controversial presidential office relocation plan from Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul to the Ministry of National Defense compound in Yongsan District, Seoul.

The public petition posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website on March 17 reads, "Please stop the coercive relocation of the country's national security headquarters thereby wasting several hundred billion won of taxpayer money." It has collected more than 508,000 signatures, as of 3 p.m., Friday.

The petitioner argues that Yoon should seek an alternative to relocation such as remodeling Cheong Wa Dae or finding another empty building, to prevent unnecessary waste of taxpayer money, since his presidential term lasts only five years.

According to domestic research group Sisa Research which surveyed 1,023 people aged over 18 on Tuesday, 55.5 percent of respondents said they disagree with Yoon's plan, while 42 percent favored it.

Taking a closer look, 58.4 percent said the planned relocation was unnecessary, while 21.8 percent said it will cost too much.

Meanwhile, the defense ministry said it is establishing a phased plan to move the ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff out of its headquarters in Yongsan, starting with the offices the least security concerns, Thursday.

According to a ministry official, Thursday, the ministry will follow legal and administrative procedures once the government approves the state reserve fund.

Cheong Wa Dae proposed approval of some portion of the 49.6 trillion won ($40 million) requested by Yoon's presidential transition committee in stages.

President Moon Jae-in said he will thoroughly look into the budget related to the relocation and cooperate with Yoon's plan, during their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday.

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