Presidential office to move to Yongsan

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol shows an artist's impression of the new presidential office during a press conference at the presidential transition committee office in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, Sunday. Joint Press Corps

President-elect pushes ahead with relocation plan despite backlash from ruling and minor opposition parties' claims of budget waste

By Nam Hyun-woo

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced his administration will relocate the presidential office and residence from Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul's Jongno District, to the defense ministry compound in Yongsan District.

"Given the public inconvenience and the purpose of giving Cheong Wa Dae back to the people, I believe it's the right choice to make a prompt decision to move to the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan," Yoon said during a press conference.

"I am well aware of concerns over the hasty relocation as my term will begin in just 50 days… However, once I get into Cheong Wa Dae, it will be harder for me to move out of the complex, which is the symbol of Korea's imperial presidency."

He said he will start his presidency on May 10 at the new office, which sits next to U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, and the Cheong Wa Dae site will be opened to the public. The defense ministry will be moved to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) headquarters, which is also inside the compound, and the JCS will move to the Army Public Affairs Division building for a while before relocating to the Namtaeryeong area in southern Seoul.

The front gate and main building of Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno District, Seoul / Yonhap

Cheong Wa Dae is a complex of multiple buildings including the presidential residence and office and other facilities for presidential aides and security personnel. It has been the office for all presidents of Korea since the country's establishment in 1948.

Throughout history, the presidential office has had a symbolic status as the seat of presidential power, and presidential aides also enjoyed strong authority through this system. This oftentimes resulted in infighting between presidential secretaries and Cabinet members, raising concerns over "imperial" presidential power.

During his campaign, President-elect Yoon vowed to move the presidential office in order to end the country's legacy of imperial presidencies and have the presidential office more open to the public to enhance his communication with the people.

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Initially, Yoon promised to set up a presidential office at the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun, which is close to Cheong Wa Dae, but ultimately decided on the defense ministry building, citing the difficulties of moving existing ministries in the Government Complex and public inconvenience due to security procedures for the President.

"Moving into Yongsan had been one of the options during the campaign," Yoon said. "While the defense ministry has existing security facilities, such as an underground bunker, and plenty of space for the defense ministry to move, the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun will require a new building for the foreign ministry, and we have to use facilities in Cheong Wa Dae again."

An artist's impression of the new presidential office, which will be set up at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul. Courtesy of presidential transition committee

According to the transition committee, the new presidential office is expected to be set up on the second floor of the defense ministry building. Offices of the presidential chief of staff and other secretaries will also be installed on the same floor, in a way similar to the West Wing of the White House, to enable faster communication between Yoon and his aides.

In Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office was located in the main building, while offices of the secretaries were typically in separate buildings. Consequently, staffers had to visit the presidential secretaries to discuss state affairs, stirring controversy over the power of the secretaries. During the Park Geun-hye administration, they were referred to as the "door handles" to the president. President Moon Jae-in instead kept his office in one of the buildings for secretaries to avoid this problem.

While revealing the concept for the new presidential office, Yoon also said his administration will set up a park surrounding the office by using the nearby U.S. Army land which is scheduled to be returned to Korea, so people can see the President working.

Yoon said the plan will cost 49.6 billion won ($40.8 million). He will finance this from the state reserve fund, which is managed by the minister of economy and finance, and its use is subject to the minister's review and the President's approval. The transition committee anticipated that the proposal will be approved during a Cabinet meeting this week.

Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul / Yonhap

Yoon's plan has faced a strong backlash from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which estimated the relocation may cost up to 1 trillion won. The ruling party also raised doubts whether moving into a military compound can serve Yoon's purpose of improving public communication.

"The President-elect said he wants to move out of Cheong Wa Dae for better communication, but moving into a military fortress means deepening the lack of communication," Rep. Kim Byung-joo said.

Despite the doubts, Yoon said he decided to move to Yongsan because improving communication with the public and departing from the imperial presidency style are also "urgent" tasks for the President.

"I do believe your mind is controlled by the space you have," Yoon said. "If I don't make a decision now, it will be harder for the country to leave the legacy of imperial presidencies."

Though Yoon stressed the importance of communication with the people, doubts are already growing over his pledge, as the transition committee plans to prohibit rallies and protests in the vicinity of the new presidential office.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been public rallies and protests in front of Cheong Wa Dae and nearby Gwanghwamun. Throughout the Moon administration, conservative civic groups have held rallies against the liberal administration there, and after former President Park Geun-hye's scandalous actions were revealed, massive candlelit protests filled Gwanghwamun Plaza.

Presidential office in the main hall of Cheong Wa Dae / Yonhap