President Lee to Return to Cheong Wa Dae Next Month... Move to Chunchugwan Set for Around the 14th

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung will usher in a new era at Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) starting next month. Following the relocation of the presidential office and key facilities such as Chunchugwan to Yongsan in May 2022 under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, these facilities will sequentially return to Cheong Wa Dae from mid-December.
According to the presidential office and related sources on the 11th, some facilities, including Chunchugwan, are scheduled to move back to Cheong Wa Dae around December 14. The relocation of President Lee Jae-myung’s office is also targeted for completion by the end of the year.
However, the official residence where the president will stay is expected to be completed in the first half of next year after security upgrades are finished.
Previously, Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoon-sik stated at the National Assembly’s House Steering Committee on the 6th that 'the relocation work of the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea to Cheong Wa Dae is underway, aiming for completion within the year.' He also noted, 'Due to security concerns, the official residence may not be ready until early next year or the first half.'
In line with these changes, security and protection systems at Cheong Wa Dae are also being reorganized. The Presidential Security Service (PSS) is in the final stages of inspecting security equipment and conducting internal maintenance at key Cheong Wa Dae facilities. The 101st and 202 Security Units of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), responsible for security around Cheong Wa Dae, are also completing building repairs and equipment upgrades.
Nearby Tongui and Ogin Police Boxes are considering a shift from daytime operations to 24-hour service. This measure is in response to increased security demands and the need for improved public service as Cheong Wa Dae resumes its role.
The return to Cheong Wa Dae was one of President Lee Jae-myung’s campaign pledges and a core part of his early policy blueprint. Immediately after his election, President Lee announced, 'While I will temporarily use the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea in Yongsan, I will promptly return to Cheong Wa Dae once renovations are complete.' Accordingly, the government ended public access in August and has since focused on internal restoration and security system upgrades.
west@fnnews.com Seong Seok-woo Reporter