[Yoon Seok-yeol Elected] The 'Gwanghwamun President' Era... Will It Finally Come True This Time?

President Moon also made a pledge, but could not fulfill it due to security and cost issues

Due to stagnant air conditions, the concentration of ultrafine dust reached a 'bad' level on the 26th, causing the Blue House in Seoul to appear hazy. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] There is also interest in whether President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol will open the "Gwanghwamun President Era" by establishing an office in Gwanghwamun as promised. President-elect Yoon pledged a reform plan centered on dismantling the Blue House, a remnant of the imperial presidential system, and relocating the presidential office to Gwanghwamun. However, since President Moon Jae-in also made the same promise but failed to realize it due to security, protocol, and cost issues, there are expectations that it will be difficult to implement.

A spokesperson for President-elect Yoon said on the 10th, "We will soon begin preparations to establish the Gwanghwamun office." President-elect Yoon's "Gwanghwamun Era" includes the intention to reduce the functions of the Blue House while expanding the autonomy and responsibility of the Prime Minister and ministers. In January, President-elect Yoon stated, "When I become president, the existing Blue House will disappear," adding, "A new concept of the presidential office with completely different organization, structure, and working methods will be created."

He also revealed a specific plan to place the presidential office in the Government Seoul Office located in Gwanghwamun. The existing Blue House residence where the president lives will be moved to another location such as the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, effectively dismantling the Blue House. According to this organizational restructuring plan, the Government Seoul Office will house the presidential office, presidential aides, the secretariat of the public-private joint committee, and supporting organizational offices and meeting rooms. The existing Blue House site will be transformed into an "open space" accessible to the general public after gathering expert opinions and preparing utilization plans.

However, President Moon reviewed various measures to fulfill the same promise after his election but ultimately could not resolve security and protection issues. The lack of space in the Gwanghwamun area to accommodate key facilities such as a guesthouse or helipad also influenced this. The president-elect's side stated regarding security issues, "We have thoroughly reviewed it," and emphasized, "How the president works is important, and security must be adapted accordingly."

There is also a high possibility of establishing a presidential office in Sejong. President-elect Yoon pledged this to complete the "Sejong City administrative capital," following the will of the late Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. In this process, slimming down the Blue House is expected to be unavoidable. For example, the offices of the Chief Secretary, the Civil Affairs Secretary, and the Second Secretariat supporting the spouse will be abolished, and the number of personnel is expected to be reduced by about 30%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.