President Lee Jae‑myung visited Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) on Monday, the first presidential commute there since May 2022, after his predecessor moved the office to the Defense Ministry complex. Lee has overseen the transfer of the presidential office back following a June snap election triggered by his predecessor’s removal. The relocation reverses a $40 million move and follows a brief December 2024 martial law episode that led to the former president’s impeachment, removal by the Constitutional Court, and subsequent criminal charges.
South Korea’s President Lee Returns to Blue House, Reversing Predecessor’s Controversial Move
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, center, arrives at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, or the Blue House in Seoul, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 as Lee marked his first official day at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday after three years and seven months since the Yoon Seok-yeol government moved the presidential office to Yongsan in May 2022. (Jeoon Heon-Kyun/Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Seoul — President Lee Jae‑myung on Monday traveled to Cheong Wa Dae, the historic presidential compound commonly known as the Blue House, marking his first commute there since taking office in June. The visit ends more than three years during which the presidential office operated from the Defense Ministry complex after Lee's predecessor relocated it.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, center, arrives at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, or the Blue House in Seoul, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 as Lee marked his first official day at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday after three years and seven months since the Yoon Seok-yeol government moved the presidential office to Yongsan in May 2022. (Jeoon Heon-Kyun/Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Return to Cheong Wa Dae
This was the first presidential visit to Cheong Wa Dae since May 9, 2022, the final day of former President Moon Jae‑in’s term. Lee, who won a snap election in June after his predecessor’s removal, has spent recent weeks overseeing the transfer of the presidential office back to the Blue House as part of an effort to reverse the former administration’s legacy.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, left, arrives at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, or the Blue House in Seoul, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 as Lee marked his first official day at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday after three years and seven months since the Yoon Seok-yeol government moved the presidential office to Yongsan in May 2022. (Jeoon Heon-Kyun/Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Historical Setting
Cheong Wa Dae sits on the lower slopes of a mountain in northern Seoul, covering roughly 250,000 square meters (62 acres) behind the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace. The compound has been renovated several times over the decades and has served primarily as the seat of the presidency since the government was established following Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule after World War II.
South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, right, talks with Chief Security of National Policy Kim Yongbeom as they wait of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's arrival at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, or the Blue House in Seoul Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Jeoon Heon-Kyun/Pool Photo via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Why the Office Was Moved
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol argued the hillside Blue House was too removed from the public and reportedly spent about $40 million to relocate the presidential office to buildings at the Defense Ministry complex in Yongsan, central Seoul. He dismissed critics who raised security and cost concerns and said the move would make his administration more accessible. After the relocation, Yoon opened parts of Cheong Wa Dae to the public, drawing millions of visitors.
Political Crisis and Aftermath
Yoon, a conservative, provoked a major political crisis when he declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, during a standoff with Lee’s Democratic Party, which controlled the legislature and had blocked much of his agenda. Martial law lasted only hours after a quorum of lawmakers forced their way past a military blockade and voted to lift the measure. Yoon was impeached later that month, removed from office in April by a Constitutional Court ruling, and re-arrested in July. He now faces serious criminal charges, including rebellion, which carry penalties up to life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Symbolic Restoration
In the hours before Lee’s visit, officials hoisted a presidential flag emblazoned with two phoenixes over Cheong Wa Dae at midnight to signal the compound’s restoration as the official presidential office. Guards saluted as Lee’s motorcade passed the gates, and dozens of supporters nearby waved South Korean flags and chanted his name. Lee’s office released video of him holding a tea meeting with senior aides inside one of Cheong Wa Dae’s rooms.
What’s Next
Lee’s office said he will continue commuting from the current presidential residence elsewhere in Seoul until that residence is formally moved back to Cheong Wa Dae at an unspecified future date. The transfer signals an immediate administrative shift and carries strong symbolic weight as Lee seeks to reestablish traditional presidential institutions.
Note: All facts in this article reflect official statements and widely reported developments, including dates of the martial law declaration, impeachment, and subsequent legal actions.
