South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol yesterday said that he would relocate his office from the “imperial” Blue House, in a move critics charged is linked to his belief in shamanistic spiritual practices.
Yoon, who won a tight election earlier this month, pledged on the campaign trail that he would move presidential business out of the Blue House — home to South Korea’s leaders since 1948.
The former prosecutor has accused the hilltop headquarters of fostering an “imperial” presidency and undermining communication with the public.
Photo: EPA-EFE
He is not the first leader to try to relocate.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in also pledged to move out “to eradicate the authoritarian presidential culture,” but faced security and logistical hurdles.
Those hurdles remain — the move has raised concerns for its reported cost of about 50 billion won (US$41.28 million), and because roads in crowded Seoul would have to be closed every day during the presidential commute.
Yoon’s critics have said his desire to move is tied to his belief in feng shui, a traditional religious practice that stresses the importance of harmony between humans and nature.
The former prosecutor has been dogged by accusations of ties to a shaman, which he has denied.
The Blue House has long been rumored to foster bad luck for its residents, given the impeachment, corruption trials and imprisonment that have befallen South Korean presidents.
Yoon told a news conference that he would start to work from the South Korean Ministry of National Defense compound after his inauguration on May 10.
“It’s a difficult task, but it’s a decision I made for the future of the country,” Yoon told reporters.
Yoon said the defense ministry compound was equipped with the necessary national security facilities and would minimize inconvenience compared with other possible new offices.
Addressing the concerns around the move, he said his decision was aimed at making the president more accessible and approachable.
A massive public park would be set up near the new presidential office and ordinary citizens would be able to look at his office from a close distance, Yoon said.
He said he also plans to establish a media center and meet journalists frequently.
“If I move into the Blue House compound, I think it will be harder to be free from the imperial power that is symbolic of the Blue House,” he said.
The Blue House would be fully open to the public starting May 10, he added.
Additional reporting by AP
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