Seoul: Thousands of South Koreans entered the presidential Blue House in northern Seoul on Wednesday after the president eun suk-yol The people made good on the promise of a campaign to return the once fortified complex.
Named after about 150,000 hand-painted blue tiles, the building’s roof is decorated with South Koreapoliticians since 1948, and was largely restricted to the public.
That has changed since a former top prosecutor, who was sworn in on Tuesday, called the hilltop headquarters – at the site used by former colonial power Japan – promoting an “imperial” presidency and undermining communications. Said while doing Public.
Instead, Yoon is operating from a 10-story Defense Ministry building – a typical office block in downtown Seoul, which has been hastily decorated with the presidential seal.
Critics have dismissed the move as a costly waste of time and money, which could also jeopardize the country’s security at a time of high tension with the nuclear-armed North.
But on opening day, South Koreans flocked to the 250,000-square-meter complex, which is surrounded by mountains and located behind the royal Gyeongbokgung Palace.
“It is the honor of my life to come here and actually see the president’s office,” Choi Jung-bun, 70, told AFP.
“It is a deep-storey site that combines old Korean kings and modern presidents. I am sure it will become one of the major tourist attractions.”
– People back – According to officials, more than 25,000 people visited the campus on the first day of the full inauguration, having signed up in advance.
With large queues in front of the main building waiting patiently for people to take pictures, visitors seemed thrilled when they were finally allowed inside.
This was despite the fact that the building has not yet been opened to visitors over security concerns, for example over communication equipment that still needed to be removed.
During the first phase of the public opening which runs till May 22, 39,000 visitors per day will be allowed to visit the complex, officials said.
In the past, the presidential office ran a much smaller tour program, allowing 1,500 visitors per day with restrictions on many areas.
However, the changes may not be permanent if the opposition has its way.
“When the Democratic Party wins the next presidency, we will go back to the Blue House,” former party chairman Song Young-gil said in an interview with local media last week.
But Cho Ok-kyung, a 61-year-old visitor from Bukcheon, west of Seoul, said the complex has been returned to people – and it should remain that way.
“I want this place to remain open indefinitely so that future generations can enjoy it too.”
– Bad Feng Shui? Yun’s critics have stated that his desire to move to office was linked to his belief in feng shui, a traditional religious practice that emphasizes the importance of harmony between humans and nature.
The former prosecutor has been charged with an affair with a magician, which he has denied.
The Blue House has long been rumored to promote bad luck to its residents, witnessing murder, impeachment, corruption trials, and imprisonment. South Korean Presidents
Yoon’s pledge that he would not spend a day at the Blue House complex was criticized even by his predecessor Moon Jae-in, who called the decision “alarming” amid rising tensions with North Korea.
“It’s hard to understand how the decision was framed to determine that Yoon would not spend a day at the Blue House,” Moon said last month.
The move is also responsible for Yun’s record-low approval rating of just 41 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Yoon begins his term with a security briefing in an underground bunker as he confronts an increasingly belligerent Pyongyang.
North Korea has conducted a record 15 weapons tests since January, including two launches just days before their inauguration.
Named after about 150,000 hand-painted blue tiles, the building’s roof is decorated with South Koreapoliticians since 1948, and was largely restricted to the public.
That has changed since a former top prosecutor, who was sworn in on Tuesday, called the hilltop headquarters – at the site used by former colonial power Japan – promoting an “imperial” presidency and undermining communications. Said while doing Public.
Instead, Yoon is operating from a 10-story Defense Ministry building – a typical office block in downtown Seoul, which has been hastily decorated with the presidential seal.
Critics have dismissed the move as a costly waste of time and money, which could also jeopardize the country’s security at a time of high tension with the nuclear-armed North.
But on opening day, South Koreans flocked to the 250,000-square-meter complex, which is surrounded by mountains and located behind the royal Gyeongbokgung Palace.
“It is the honor of my life to come here and actually see the president’s office,” Choi Jung-bun, 70, told AFP.
“It is a deep-storey site that combines old Korean kings and modern presidents. I am sure it will become one of the major tourist attractions.”
– People back – According to officials, more than 25,000 people visited the campus on the first day of the full inauguration, having signed up in advance.
With large queues in front of the main building waiting patiently for people to take pictures, visitors seemed thrilled when they were finally allowed inside.
This was despite the fact that the building has not yet been opened to visitors over security concerns, for example over communication equipment that still needed to be removed.
During the first phase of the public opening which runs till May 22, 39,000 visitors per day will be allowed to visit the complex, officials said.
In the past, the presidential office ran a much smaller tour program, allowing 1,500 visitors per day with restrictions on many areas.
However, the changes may not be permanent if the opposition has its way.
“When the Democratic Party wins the next presidency, we will go back to the Blue House,” former party chairman Song Young-gil said in an interview with local media last week.
But Cho Ok-kyung, a 61-year-old visitor from Bukcheon, west of Seoul, said the complex has been returned to people – and it should remain that way.
“I want this place to remain open indefinitely so that future generations can enjoy it too.”
– Bad Feng Shui? Yun’s critics have stated that his desire to move to office was linked to his belief in feng shui, a traditional religious practice that emphasizes the importance of harmony between humans and nature.
The former prosecutor has been charged with an affair with a magician, which he has denied.
The Blue House has long been rumored to promote bad luck to its residents, witnessing murder, impeachment, corruption trials, and imprisonment. South Korean Presidents
Yoon’s pledge that he would not spend a day at the Blue House complex was criticized even by his predecessor Moon Jae-in, who called the decision “alarming” amid rising tensions with North Korea.
“It’s hard to understand how the decision was framed to determine that Yoon would not spend a day at the Blue House,” Moon said last month.
The move is also responsible for Yun’s record-low approval rating of just 41 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Yoon begins his term with a security briefing in an underground bunker as he confronts an increasingly belligerent Pyongyang.
North Korea has conducted a record 15 weapons tests since January, including two launches just days before their inauguration.