South Korea's Lee to move presidential office back to historic 'Blue House'
The administration of new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has decided to return the presidential office to the historic compound of Cheong Wa Dae, which had served as the president's office for more than 70 years.
The administration announced on Tuesday that it approved the plan at a Cabinet meeting.
The 250,000-square-meter compound, also known as the Blue House, sits in central Seoul.
Often viewed as a "symbol of power" due to the president's authority, former President Yoon Suk-yeol relocated the office to what was the defense ministry building in 2022.
But Lee had sought to move his center of operations back to the Blue House as the office has a strong connection to the ousted leader who declared martial law in December last year.
The compound is currently open to the public for sightseeing visits. But officials say they plan to limit reservations from mid-July and temporarily suspend tours from August 1.
South Korean media outlets suggest that the compound may be packed with tourists until then.
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