Lee eyes new presidential office at Cheong Wa Dae

Previous administrations recognized the need to reorganize the Cheong Wa Dae compound but failed to act due to a lack of alternative space and difficulty securing funding from the National Assembly. President Lee Jae-myung, by contrast, has already begun his term at the Yongsan presidential office and, with a parliamentary majority, is better positioned to move the plan forward. An annex in Changseong-dong, part of the Seoul Government Complex and scheduled for completion next month, may also be utilized.

A key proposal among political circles suggests consolidating and rebuilding Yeomin Buildings 2 and 3 into a single facility to accommodate both the president’s office and the secretariat. A more comprehensive plan would extend the project to include Yeomin Building 1 and the Presidential Security Service building, forming a unified, modern complex. Under these proposals, the Cheong Wa Dae main building would be used exclusively for summits and official ceremonies.

Other proposals include remodeling Yeomin Buildings 2 and 3 and linking them to Yeomin Building 1 with elevated walkways. Another plan suggests renovating the main building for senior aides and building a new secretariat on nearby open land.

Ahn Byung-jin, a professor at Kyung Hee University’s Future Civilization Institute, stressed the importance of proximity. “The president’s closest aides, including the chief of staff, should be within shouting distance,” he said. “It’s ideal if they can sit together on the same sofa and hold informal discussions.”

Some experts say effective communication relies more on the president’s leadership than on the physical office layout. For example, former President Yoon Suk Yeol housed all his staff in a 10-story building in Yongsan, with his main office and the chief of staff’s office both on the second floor.


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