Cheong Wa Dae
Cheong Wa Dae, also known as the Blue House, is the executive office and residence of the president of South Korea. Located in Seoul's Jongno District, directly behind Gyeongbokgung Palace, it has served as the center of presidential administration and state receptions since 1948, except for a three-year period during the presidency of Yoon Suk Yeol from 2022 to 2025, during which it was opened to the public as a museum and urban park.
Cheong Wa Dae is a complex of multiple buildings built largely in the traditional Korean architectural style with some modern architectural elements and facilities. It currently consists of the Main Office Hall Bon-gwan, the Presidential Residence, the State Reception House Yeongbin-gwan, the Chunchu-gwan, Press Hall, the Secretariat Buildings, and other buildings and structures. The entire complex covers approximately 250,000 square metres or 62 acres.
Cheong Wa Dae was built upon the site of the royal garden of the Joseon period. While Cheong Wa Dae served as an executive office, it was one of the most protected official residences in Asia. Upon the inauguration of President Yoon Suk Yeol in May 2022, Cheong Wa Dae was relieved of its duties as the official residence and executive office of the president, as the president's offices and residence were moved to the Ministry of National Defense building. The grounds served as a public park until late 2025. Since the impeachment and removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024, there have been calls to return the presidential office and official residence to Cheong Wa Dae. President Lee Jae-myung returned to Cheong Wa Dae on 29 December 2025.
Early history
Goryeo and Joseon eras
Cheong Wa Dae dates back to the Goryeo period of Korea. The location of Cheong Wa Dae was the site of a royal villa in Hanyang, the southern capital of the Goryeo dynasty. It was built by King Sukjong in 1104. Goryeo's principal capital was at Kaesong, and it also maintained a western capital at Pyongyang and an eastern capital at Gyeongju on opposite sides of the Korean peninsula. After the Joseon period moved its capital to Hanyang, Gyeongbokgung was built in 1395, the fourth year of the reign of King Taejo as the main palace, and the royal villa lot became the back garden of the palace. It was used as the site for civil service examinations and military training. Feng Shui singer Kim Wi-je said, "Samgaksan Mountain is a scenic view facing north and south. The mountain range that started there is three and four, and they are defending the famous place, so if you rely on Samgaksan Mountain to build a capital, the Dead Sea will come and pay tribute in nine years". After King Taejo of the Joseon Dynasty established the country, the new capital was designated in Hanseongbu. Later, in 1394, a new palace was built; the site was near the palace site of Nanjing, Goryeo, north of the former royal palace Gyeongbokgung. At that time, it was said that there were temples such as Chungsundang and Chirojeong Pavilion in this place. Here, descendants of kings and founding contributors gathered to conduct large-scale membership.After Gyeongbokgung was burned down during the 1592–1598 Japanese invasions of Korea, it was left unattended for a long time. However, during the reign of King Gojong, Gyeongbokgung was rebuilt under the leadership of Heungseon Daewongun, and a support was built outside the Sinmumun Gate and in the current Cheong Wa Dae. Later, buildings such as Yoongmundang were built in the background, and Gyeongmudang was also renovated at this time. There were 32 buildings in Gyeongmudae, including Oungak, a resting place for the king. In Yoongmundang, a festival and military training were held.
1910–1948: Foreign occupations
Following the Empire of Japan's annexation of Korea in 1910, the Imperial Japanese governor of Korea used the Gyeongbokgung grounds for the Government-General Building. In 1927, many buildings in the background, including Gyeongmudae, were demolished. In July 1939, Japan built an official residence/office for the governor-general on the site of Cheong Wa Dae. Even after liberation following the Second World War in September 1945, this location was used as the official residence by the occupying United States and its designated United States Army Military Government in Korea's John Haji, during 1945-1948.Evolution of Cheong Wa Dae
1948–2022: Presidential residence of South Korea and attempt to relocate
After the establishment of the South Korean government in the southern portion of the Korean peninsula in 1948, its first president Syngman Rhee named the former Imperial Japanese Governor-General's residence Gyeongmudae, which was the name of one of the few old buildings for former official residence there. He used it as his office and residence. The second South Korean President, Yun Po-sun, changed the name to "Cheong Wa Dae" after he was inaugurated in 1960. The name was reportedly changed as it had ostensibly become associated with authoritarianism and dictatorship. An alternate name "Hwaryeongdae" was proposed alongside "Cheong Wa Dae" as a possible renaming candidate, but the latter was ultimately chosen.After Park Chung Hee came to power through a military coup as the third President, some argued that the colour should be changed to yellow, saying it is a more precious color, but Park dismissed it. During the Park regime, the Cheong Wa Dae structure had a president's office on the first floor and a living space for the president's family on the second floor. However, as the building was narrow and ageing, a major renovation was carried out during the Park administration.
In January 1968, North Korean infiltrators nearly reached the building in a bid to assassinate Park during the Blue House raid. In the ensuing melee, 28 North Koreans, 26 South Koreans, and four Americans were killed.
On October 26, 1979, Park was assassinated by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency Director, Kim Jae-gyu in a safe house on the Blue House grounds.
Presidents Park, Choi Kyu-hah, and Chun Doo-hwan used the building both as their office and official residence. While President Roh Tae-woo was in office, a new office building, official residence, and press center, called Chunchu-gwan, were built. The main office building was opened in April 1991. In September 1991, an advisory committee consisting of 22 experts was formed to gather opinions and build the current main building, official residence, and Chunchugwan. In 1993, during Kim Young-sam's presidency, the building built by Japan for the then-official residence was dismantled. Roh Moo-hyun tried to change the structure of the main building to strengthen communication with the staff, but failed. The wartime evacuation facility built by Park in 1975 was repaired in 2003 to create a room for the National Crisis Management Centre.
Because the Cheong Wa Dae has often been regarded as a symbol of the president's power, many presidents have made efforts to relocate the presidential office and residence.
Kim Young-sam was the first to push for relocation as a symbolic break from the previous military dictatorship era. Kim Young-sam pledged to move his office to the Seoul Government Complex near Gwanghwamun but was unable to achieve this. Instead, the road in front of Cheong Wa Dae and the mountain Inwangsan was made open to the public. In addition, 12 safe houses located in Gungjeong-dong and Samcheong-dong were demolished, and Mugunghwa Garden, a civic park, was created.
Kim Dae Jung also pushed for a plan to set up offices at the Seoul and Gwacheon Government Complex but stopped due to security and cost problems. Instead, measures were taken to open the Chilgung Palace located in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts and expand the scope of Cheong Wa Dae viewing.
The Roh Moo-hyun administration tried to move all government departments, including Cheong Wa Dae, to Sejong City but failed due to the Constitutional Court's decision to confirm the unconstitutionality of the new administrative capital law. Since then, Roh Moo Hyun opened Sinmumun Gate, the northern gate of Gyeongbokgung, and Bukaksanseong-ro.
During the Lee Myung-bak administration, the relocation of the secretary's and security's office was also considered, but it was suspended due to costs and approval needed by the National Assembly. Moon Jae-In made President Gwanghwamun a presidential election pledge, but after taking office, it was cancelled due to security and cost issues. Instead, the road in front of Cheong Wa Dae and the fortress road of Bugaksan, which had been temporarily opened, were completely opened.
2022–2025: Conversion into a public park
On March 20, 2022, President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he would take office on May 10 in the Ministry of National Defense building in the Yongsan District of Seoul, and open Cheong Wa Dae to the public as a park. In May 2022, following an order issued by Yoon after he took office, the building officially converted into a public park and opened to public visitation for the first time in its 74-year history, with a maximum of 39,000 visitors allowed daily. The visitors could witness cultural performances, tours, and use hiking trails that lead to the mountain Bugaksan, Cheongwadae's scenic backdrop.The Government of South Korea allocated ₩36 billion from government reserve funds for the relocation of the office. However, the Ministry of National Defense at the time faced criticism, with concerns raised regarding the potential negative impact on national security, associated costs, and other issues such as heightened nuclear activity in North Korea and challenges to post-pandemic economic recovery. A survey revealed that 58% of the people opposed this move.
2025–present: Restoration of Cheong Wa Dae as presidential office
In December 2024, after the impeachment of President Yoon, there were increasing calls to restore Cheong Wa Dae as the presidential office and official residence. Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party, a former general, said that the Yongsan office was unsuitable as a presidential office, while conservative mayor of Daegu, Hong Joon-pyo said that Yoon's move away from Cheong Wa Dae "diminished the president's charisma from the outset and emboldened the opposition" and "The Blue House, like the White House in the United States, is a symbol of Korea". A joint survey released in June 2025 and conducted by South Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS found that 58.2% of respondents supported having the next South Korean president work at Cheong Wa Dae. Following his inauguration that same month, President Lee Jae-myung said he would stay in the Yongsan office until the presidential office is relocated to Cheong Wa Dae. On August 1, 2025, Cheong Wa Dae closed to public for maintenance ahead of return of the presidential office.On December 8, 2025, the presidential office officially began its relocation back to Cheong Wa Dae. The transfer was finished on December 29, with President Lee reporting for work at the residence that day.