Concerns grow over ill-prepared Cheong Wa Dae public opening

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sat, September 23, 2023 | 19:38

Travel & Food

Concerns grow over ill-prepared Cheong Wa Dae public opening

Posted : 2022-06-19 16:57

Updated : 2022-06-20 14:47

A crowd of visitors enters the main gate of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, May 10, during a celebratory event to mark the opening of the former presidential office and residence. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

By Lee Hae-rin

Cheong Wa Dae's future as a cultural heritage site and historical landmark in Seoul remains uncertain with the absence of proper management to deal effectively with the swarms of visitors since its reopening.

The former presidential office and residence has been open to the public since May 10 ― the first time in 74 years ― following President Yoon Suk-yeol's decision to return Cheong Wa Dae to the people and relocate the presidential office to the defense ministry building in Yongsan District.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), the number of visitors to the compound surpassed 777,000 during the first month of its public opening since May 10. The figure is as great as 71 percent of the annual visitors to the capital's most visited Gyeongbok Palace at 1.08 million, with a daily average of over 24,000 people visiting the historical site.

Amid the huge number of visitors, how the historical site will be managed in the future and preserved have not adequately been addressed, according to the CHA.

On Friday, more than one month after its public opening, 12 experts of the CHA went on an official visit of the compound to discuss the future presentation and use of the key cultural and political landmark site.

Located at the foot of Mount Bugak and behind Gyeongbok Palace, the compound contains a total of 61 cultural assets and historical sites within it, having served as the presidential office for more than seven decades.

The 12 experts unanimously expressed concern over the compound's future and preservation after inspecting the site.

The committee emphasized that a study needs to be conducted on the compound's historical and cultural significance to determine how it will be used and presented in the future and suggested limiting the opening of the compound as a preservation measure.

Meanwhile, the compound seems to lack even the basic amenities for the surging number of visitors.

Yeonpung Gate, which had served as a reception desk for visitors, staff and letters to the president, is facing a management vacuum since the relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan District.

According to Yonhap News, the bathrooms on the first floor of Yeonpung Gate were full of unemptied trashcans filled with garbage, plastic coffee cups, and pamphlets as of June 17.

As the bathrooms inside the compound's main buildings, including the presidential office and Yeongbingwan ― spaces for summit meetings and banquets ― have not been open to the public, visitors have been told by the information desk to use the bathrooms at the reception gate.

The presidential secretary office delegated management of the site to the CHA on May 23, but the CHA said that, due to the high numbers of visitors, managing the site has been beyond its capacity.

lhr@koreatimes.co.kr