[Hallyupedia] Cheong Wa Dae

by Ra Hwakjin / Kim Sun Min / Kim Jimin

[ENG] Presidential office and residence of the president of Republic of Korea
 

 

▲ This file photo shows Cheongwadae. (Yonhap)

 

 

Cheong Wa Dae collectively refers to the official residence and office of the president located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. It also figuratively refers to the president and the officials from the Presidential Secretariat. Doosan Encyclopedia introduces that the name "Cheong Wa Dae" derives from the roof of the main building of Cheong Wa Dae that is made of blue tiles.

 

Cheong Wa Dae consists of a main building that includes the president's office, reception room, and conference room, and other additional buildings, including the president's official residence, secretariat, Chunchugwan, and state guest house, and there is a large garden and a pond leading to Bugak Mountain.

The current main building was built on Sept. 4, 1991. The former main building of Cheong Wa Dae, which was built as the residence of the Governor-General of Joseon in the past, was demolished under the direction of the president in August, 1993.

The current presidential residence was completed on Oct. 25, 1990, as they felt the need to distinguish between the public and private work spaces of the president. The old main building that was demolished also served as the president's residence.

 

Chunchugwan, which was also completed in 1990, can be considered as the Cheong Wa Dae Press Center that is used as a space for the president’s press conference and the office for reporters.

 

 

▲ This file photo shows press conference in Chunchugwan. (Yonhap)

 

The name Chunchugwan originated from Chunchugwan and Yemun Chunchugwan, the government office that was in charge of managing historical records of the Goryeo and Joseon dynasty, and it was selected since it well symbolizes the spirit of today’s freedom of speech.

The state guest house is a building that hosts meetings in large scales and official events for foreign national guests, and construction began in January, 1978, and was completed in December of the same year.

The state guest house is used as an official venue for traditional performances and dinners that promote our country when foreign presidents or prime ministers visit, as well as a venue for meetings and banquets of more than 100 people.
 

 

▲ This file photo show Sangchunjae. (Yonhap)

 

Sangchunjae is a traditional Korean house completed in April, 1983, and is used as a venue for foreign visitors or informal meetings.

 

Nokjiwon is a place with more than 120 kinds of trees and commemorative trees that former presidents planted, and it has held events for Children's Day, Parents' Day, and Disabled Day every year.

◇ Goryeo and Joseon dynasty's palace site...demolished after being used as residence of Japanese governor general

According to Doosan Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia of Korean Culture at The Academy of Korean Studies, the current site of Cheong Wa Dae is historically the site of a royal villa during the Goryeo dynasty. In the Joseon dynasty, after Gyeongbokgung Palace was founded in 1426 (the 8th year of King Sejong's reign), it became a backyard of the palace.

This place was used as a place for training ground, state examination center, or the King's own farming.

After that, the Japanese Governor-General of Joseon built a new government building in Gyeongbokgung Palace and they demolished all buildings and facilities except Oungak Pavilion in 1927, building the governor's residence there.

 

▲ This file photo shows the Government General of Joseon in 1948. (Yonhap)

This place was used as the official residence of the 7th, 8th, and 9th Governor-General of Joseon, and when the U.S. military government began after Korean Independence, Lieutenant General Hodge (J. R.) who stationed in Joseon used it as the official residence.

Since the establishment of the Korean government in August 1948, it has been used as the presidential residence. At the time of the first President Rhee Syng-man, it was called Gyeongmudae.

After that, in April 1960, when the Democratic Party seized power after the April revolution, president Yun Po-Sun moved in and renamed it Cheong Wa Dae.

In 1990, the press center, Chunchugwan, and the presidential residence, were newly built, and in August 1993, the old building where the Governor-General of Japanese colonial era lived was demolished under the direction of President Kim Young-sam.

 

▲ This file photo shows the main gate of Cheongwadae. (Yonhap)

 

◇ President-elect Yoon promises relocation of presidential residence to Yongsan district..."Opening Cheong Wa Dae to the public"

 

President-elect Yoon announces that he will open Cheong Wa Dae to the public from 0 o'clock on May 10, 2022, when he starts his term.

Yoon decided to use the current building of the Ministry of National Defense as the presidential office.

At first, during the president election period, Yoon said that he will establish a new presidential office at Gwanghwamun Central Government Complex, but on March 20, he made a decision to relocate presidential office to Yongsan and announced the plan in person. Also, he decided to use the current official residence of the Army Chief of Staff, not Cheong Wa Dae, as his presidential residence.

 

▲ This file photo shows president-elect Yoon explaining the presidential office relocation plan. (Yonhap)

In a press conference, Yoon explained "I will give Cheong Wa Dae back to the public on May 10, when the presidential term starts," adding "I will also return Nokjiwon and Sangchunjae to the public. In this way, the hiking trail passing through Gyeongbokgung station, Gyeongbokgung palace, Cheong Wa Dae, and Bugaksan mountain is also open."

 

 

▲ This file photo shows the Ministry of National Defense. (Yonhap)

The presidential office relocation plan seemed to have trouble due to the budget issue, but as the current government decided to spend 36 billion won as a reserve fund in the temporary cabinet meeting on the 6th, the opening of Cheong Wa Dae and the establishment of Yongsan office has a positive outlook as president-elect Yoon planned.

 

◇ BTS in Cheong Wa Dae

 

▲ This file photo shows BTS and President Moon in Cheongwadae. (Yonhap)

Cheong Wa Dae is rarely exposed to the public except few places including Chunchugwan, where reporters enter, due to security issue. However, a world-famous K-pop supergroup BTS recently visited Cheong Wa Dae twice.

Ahead of the 76th UN General Assembly held in New York last September, BTS visited Cheong Wa Dae and had lunch with President Moon, having been appointed as a "Presidential Special Mission for Future Generation and Culture."

 

 

▲ This file photo shows BTS addressing at the Youth Day in September 2020. (Yonhap)

Moreover, BTS gave a speech on behalf of the young generation for the first celebration of Youth Day in September 2020.

During this event, BTS told their story in forms of a message to the youth 19 years later, saying how they could reach the top of the Billboard even if they faced frustrated moments after the debut, and added, "We wish our story could be a hope for someone who are struggling in the future."

In June 2019, K-pop boy group EXO also attended the dinner at Cheong Wa Dae which President Moon held to celebrate the official visit of the U.S. president Donald Trump.

Back then, members of EXO gave their autographed CD as a gift to President Trump and his daughter Ivanka, a White House aid, at the cocktail party held in Sangchunjae of Cheong Wa Dae. 

 

▲ This file photo shows the South Korean art troupe taking photo with president Moon in 2018. (Yonhap)

 

In addition, the South Korean art troupe, who performed in Pyongyang, North Korea in 2018, including singer Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, Yoonsang, Seo-hyun from K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, and Red Velvet, visited Cheong Wa Dae and attended luncheon as President Moon invited them.

 

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