Lee to cluster key aides at Cheong Wa Dae to speed up decision-making

A crane and moving trucks stop in front of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul, Saturday, as the presidential office plans to complete its relocation from Yongsan District by the end of this month. Yonhap

The Korean presidential office is returning to its historic seat at Cheong Wa Dae. The relocation, expected to be finalized by the end of the month, marks a symbolic homecoming to the wooded compound in central Seoul that served as the nation's center of power for decades.

Cheong Wa Dae is composed of several key facilities, including the main building used by the president, the Yeomin Building complex that houses offices for presidential secretaries and staff, the State Guest House (Yeongbingwan) for official events and receptions, the Chunchugwan press center and the presidential residence.

Under the new arrangement, President Lee Jae Myung will have offices in both the main building and the Yeomin Building complex. He is expected to spend the bulk of his working hours in the Yeomin Building, where his closest aides will also be based.

An official in the presidential office said Monday that the offices of Lee’s three top aides — the chief of staff, policy chief and national security adviser — will also be housed in the Yeomin Building, placing them within a one-minute walk of the president’s office. The arrangement is intended to enable faster, more coordinated decision-making by keeping the president and his key advisers in close proximity.

The president’s office in the main building will be reserved primarily for formal occasions, such as summits and credential ceremonies, while most day-to-day governance will be conducted in the Yeomin Building.

Movers and other workers enter Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul, Sunday, as the return of the presidential office to Cheong Wa Dae draws near. Yonhap

Until the administration of former President Park Geun-hye, the presidential office was located exclusively in Cheong Wa Dae’s main building, drawing criticism that close communication — even with senior aides — was difficult due to the roughly 500-meter distance between the main building and the Yeomin Building complex.

Former President Moon Jae-in sought to address the issue by establishing an additional presidential office in the Yeomin Building alongside the main building, aiming to improve day-to-day communication with key aides.

The incumbent president has adopted a similar approach to that of Moon. With the president and his three top aides now based within the same office complex, the Yeomin Building is expected to serve as the Lee administration’s core policy hub, where most major decisions will be made.

Most senior secretariat offices already completed their relocation to Cheong Wa Dae earlier this month. The Chunchugwan press center, used by reporters, also officially resumed operations on Monday. Lee is expected to begin carrying out his official duties there as early as the end of this year.

Workers clean the windows at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Dec. 12, as the presidential office plans to complete its relocation there by the end of this month. Yonhap

The relocation of the presidential residence is expected to take longer to complete.

The official at the presidential office said Lee will keep commuting from his current residence in Hannam-dong until renovation work on the official residence at the Cheong Wa Dae complex is completed, likely in the first half of next year.

The official added that the administration has identified damage incurred during the previous government’s decision to open Cheong Wa Dae to the public and is currently conducting a comprehensive assessment of its overall condition.

“Once the inspection is complete, we will review the scope of necessary repairs and follow-up measures before planning the move,” the official said, adding that the likelihood of changing the presidential residence altogether remains low.

Meanwhile, as part of Lee’s campaign pledges, Cheong Wa Dae will continue to serve as the presidential office until a separate presidential office is established in Sejong administrative city in the central part of Korea. With the government aiming to complete the Sejong presidential office by 2030, Lee is expected to spend most of his term working from Cheong Wa Dae.