Crowds rush to former South Korean presidential office before public access ends

Visitors wait to enter the former presidential compound in Seoul’s Jongno District, Friday. Yonhap

On June 6, the first day of South Korea’s Memorial Day holiday, massive crowds flooded the grounds of Cheong Wa Dae (the former presidential office) in central Seoul. Families with children, couples and tourists lined up for hundreds of meters under the blazing 30-degree Celsius heat, equipped with parasols, sunglasses, and portable fans. Tour buses came and went in a constant loop, dropping off groups of visitors.

Visitors wait to enter the former presidential compound in Seoul’s Jongno District, Friday. Korea Times

The sudden surge of interest appears to be driven by President Lee Jae-myung’s announcement that he plans to move his presidential office back to Cheong Wa Dae. With the return "imminent," many people are eager to experience the iconic site one last time while it remains open to the public.

The Cheong Wa Dae Foundation currently allows up to 22,000 reservations per day for four weeks in advance. All weekend and holiday slots for June have already been fully booked. Visitor numbers have jumped dramatically, with 427,780 people visiting in May — a 38.7 percent increase from April’s 261,974.

Lee Kyung-hee, 44, who traveled from Yongin with her husband and child, said she made her reservation on June 2, one day before the presidential election. “It’s a place we’ve never been able to visit before and probably won’t again,” she said. “Seeing my child so curious made it worthwhile.”

Not everyone was able to enter. Without an online reservation, access is restricted, except for those eligible for on-site registration — seniors aged 65 and older, people with disabilities, veterans, and foreigners. Chae, 62, who arrived early in the morning with companions, was disappointed. “I thought anyone could visit today since it’s Memorial Day,” he said. “Now I’ll have to take a day off during the week and come back.”

The main building of the former presidential compound is crowded with visitors, Friday. Yonhap

Public opinion remains divided over the decision to move the presidential office back to its original home. Kim Yeon-sook, 65, visiting with her 91-year-old mother, said, “Seeing it in person, it feels dignified. I think it’s best for the president to return to where he originally belonged.” Jo Yong-geon, 80, from Nowon District, said, “Moving to an entirely new place would be a waste of tax money — Cheong Wa Dae is more practical.” However, Kim, 62, who traveled with 13 family members from Daegu, disagreed. “As long as the president does his job well, does it really matter where the office is?”

Local businesses generally welcomed the return. Kim Gwang-jae, 63, who runs a Korean restaurant near the main gate, said, “Even if the office reopens, some tourist routes will probably remain. We’ll have office workers on weekdays and tourists on weekends.” A nearby café owner, 35, echoed the sentiment. “The security staff order in bulk — if Cheong Wa Dae becomes active again, business will definitely improve,” she said with a smile.

Meanwhile, minor repair work began on Cheong Wa Dae’s walking paths on June 4. The Cheong Wa Dae Foundation said the renovations were planned since last year and are unrelated to the potential return of the presidential office. Still, the presidential office announced the creation of a new administrative secretary post to manage relocation matters, and the security service has begun safety and security inspections in preparation.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.