People enter Cheong Wa Dae through its main gate on May 10, during a celebratory event to mark the opening of the former presidential office and residence in Seoul.   

Central Seoul has received a monumental makeover to become the cultural and social heart of the capital as the public has been granted entry into the former presidential office and residence of Cheong Wa Dae and the recently refurbished Gwanghwamun Square. The area’s transformation is intended to improve access to historic landmarks. 

Located in Seoul’s central Jongno-gu District, Cheong Wa Dae was opened to the public in May for the first time in 74 years. Returning the compound to the people had been one of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s campaign pledges as a candidate. The Office of the President was relocated about 5 km south to a former Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu. 

After the move, the government began transforming Cheong Wa Dae’s large grounds and historic buildings into a cultural complex.  

“The opening of Cheong Wa Dae to the public signifies a break with authoritarian politics as well as the imperial presidency,” Park Bo Gyoon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said. “Embracing culture and arts, history and nature, Cheong Wa Dae will be turned into one of the Republic of Korea’s finest landmarks.” 

According to the minister, the Cheong Wa Dae compound is 3.2 times larger than that of the White House in the U.S. capital Washington, D.C. The compound will house an art museum, a presidential memorial hall and a concert venue. There are more than 600 art pieces and cultural assets in its buildings and on its grounds. It is also home to beautiful wooded areas with about 50,000 trees and flowers.  

“All of these spaces and their contents will be combined in a harmonious and attractive way to make Cheong Wa Dae vibrant and alive. To date, the opening of Cheong Wa Dae has mainly given the public opportunities to view the scenic grounds. Going forward, the compound will be utilized as a cultural and arts complex that allows people to enjoy all the works of art there,” Park added.  

 The refurbished Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul was unveiled on August 6 after 19 months of renovation.    

The opening of Cheong Wa Dae was followed by the unveiling of the new Gwanghwamun Square on August 6, nearly two years after its renovation began. 

The square has been a historic and symbolic public gathering space for a variety of purposes – protests, concerts, exhibitions and parades – and its size has now been doubled. Over 5,000 trees have been planted there to offer citizens a place to relax. A performance venue has also been built in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. 

That venue has incorporated new technologies, such as a 53-meter media wall and light shows. The achievements of the Joseon Dynasty’s King Sejong the Great and Admiral Yi Sun-sin as well as taekwondo will be promoted there. The square also includes a 40-meter-long row of water arches that form a tunnel for visitors to walk through. 

The government expects the opening of Cheong Wa Dae and Gwanghwamun Square’s facelift to increase pedestrian traffic through the area and into the related sites.  

“The area linking Gwanghwamun Square, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Cheong Wa Dae is the center of our long history, rich culture and democratization,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said at the square’s reopening ceremony. 

Both Cheong Wa Dae and Gwanghwamun Square were added to new routes on the “Seoul Guided Walking Tour” program.  

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