South Korea’s president-elect to abandon ‘unlucky’ Blue House in $40m move

South Korea’s president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has announced his decision to abandon the current presidential office of the Blue House and set up his new workplace in central Seoul, a move that has divided the Korean public.

Mr Yoon, dubbed the “South Korean Donald Trump” before his election earlier this month, starts his five-year term on 10 May, and had earlier said as part of his campaign promises that he would be relocating the presidential office.

The current presidential office is in the Blue House, Cheong Wa Dae, located on a secluded compound on the foothills of a mountain north of Gwanghwamun.

The conservative former top prosecutor said the location and design of the Blue House was a symbol of “imperial” presidency that cut off the nation’s leader from the public.

But the opposition Democratic Party has accused Mr Yoon of making the move — which has been budgeted to cost the public purse around 50 billion won (£31.3m or $40m) — after being influenced by masters of feng shui.

The site of the defence military compound in Yongshan was a “blessed spot... humble yet auspicious”, the head of a feng shui organisation told Reuters earlier this week. By contrast, believers in the geomancy practice have linked the “inauspicious” nature of the Blue House to the fact that four out of six presidents in the past 25 years have either ended up in jail or killed themselves after leaving office.

But Mr Yoon argued in his televised press conference announcing the move on Sunday that the change was motivated by practical concerns such as ease of working with his administration. At the Blue House, the offices of most officials, as well as the press room, are not in the same building where the president works, for instance.

He said defence ministry officials currently in the building in question would be moved to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) building at the compound, and that JCS staff would be moved in phases to a war command centre near Seoul.

A massive public park will be established near the new presidential office, Mr Yoon added, saying that ordinary citizens will be able to see his office from there close up.

He also announced plans to establish a press centre at the new presidential office and meet journalists there frequently.

The president-elect said he would collect public opinions for naming the new presidential office.

“I know relocating the presidential office isn’t an easy thing. But if I back down on a promise with the people (on the relocation) again, no other future president would attempt to do it. I’ve made this decision for the future of the country,” Mr Yoon said.

Some critics had called on Mr Yoon not to rush the relocation, arguing that other tasks such as controlling the country’s surging Covid-19 cases required more urgent attention.

Others also expressed concern that the move would inconvenience the public, and that the cost has been downplayed. Opponents have claimed the cost of such a move could soar to 1 trillion won, 20 times what Mr Yoon has suggested.