Көк үй: Корея Республикасының бұрынғы президенттік резиденциясы

Former South Korean presidential residence

Cheong Wa Dae (hangul=청와대), also known as the Blue House in English, is a public park that formerly served as the presidential residence and the diplomatic reception halls of South Korea from 1948 to 2022. It is located in the Jongno district of the South Korean capital Seoul. Cheong Wa Dae is a complex of multiple buildings built largely in the traditional Korean architectural style with some modern architectural elements and facilities. Cheong Wa Dae now consists of the Main Office Hall Bon gwan, the Presidential Residence, the State Reception House Yeongbin gwan, the Chunchu gwan, Press Hall, and the Secretariat Buildings. The entire complex covers approximately 250,000 square metres or 62 acres. Cheong Wa Dae was built upon the site of the royal garden of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). While the Blue House served as an executive office, it was one of the most protected official residences in Asia. Upon the inauguration of President Yoon Suk Yeol in May 2022, Cheong Wa Dae was relieved of its duties as the official residence and executive office of the president. The president's office and residence were moved to the Ministry of National Defense building in the Yongsan District of Seoul, and Cheong Wa Dae was fully converted into a public park.

The Blue House dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty. Feng Shui singer Kim Wi je said, "Samgaksan Mountain is a scenic view facing north and south. The mountain range that started there is three and four, and they are defending the famous place, so if you rely on Samgaksan Mountain to build a capital, the Dead Sea will come and pay tribute in nine years". Accordingly, King Sukjong, the king at the time, installed Namkyung in present day Seoul and built a palace, which is estimated to be the site of current Cheong Wa Dae. After King Taejo of the Joseon Dynasty established the country, the new capital was designated in Hanseongbu. Later, in 1394, a new palace was built; the site was near the palace site of Nanjing, Goryeo. The current Cheong Wa Dae seat corresponds to the north of the former royal palace Gyeongbokgung. At that time, it was said that there were temples such as Chungsundang and Chirojeong Pavilion in this place. Here, descendants of kings and founding contributors gathered to conduct large scale membership.

After Gyeongbokgung was burned down during the 1592–1598 Japanese invasions of Korea, it was left unattended for a long time. However, during the reign of King Gojong, Gyeongbokgung was rebuilt under the leadership of Heungseon Daewongun, and a support was built outside the Sinmumun Gate and in the current Cheong Wa Dae. Later, buildings such as Yoongmundang were built in the background, and Gyeongmudang was also renovated at this time. There were 32 buildings in Gyeongmudae, including Oungak, a resting place for the king. In Yoongmundang, a festival and military training was held. During the Japanese colonial period in 1927, many buildings in the background, including Gyeongmudae, were demolished. In 1939, the governor's residence at Gyeongbokgung moved to the post of patron. Even after liberation, this location was used as his official residence by the U. S. Military Government's John Haji. The wartime evacuation facility built by Park Chung Hee in 1975 was repaired in 2003 to create a room (underground bunker) for the National Crisis Management Centre.

Because the Cheong Wa Dae has often been regarded as a symbol of the president's imperial power, many presidents made efforts to relocate the presidential office and residence. Kim Young sam was the first to push for relocation as a symbolic break from the previous military dictatorship era. Kim Young sam pledged to move his office to the Seoul Government Complex near Gwanghwamun, but was unable to achieve this. Instead, the road in front of the Blue House and the Inwangsan Mountain was made open to the public. In addition, 12 safe houses located in Gungjeong dong and Samcheong dong were demolished, and Mugunghwa Garden, a civic park, was created. The location of Cheong Wa Dae was the site of a royal villa in Hanyang, the southern capital of the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). It was built by King Sukjong (r. 1095–1105) in 1104. Goryeo's principal capital was at Kaesong, and it also maintained a western capital at Pyongyang and an eastern capital at Gyeongju. After the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897) moved its capital to Hanyang, Gyeongbokgung was built in 1395, the fourth year of the reign of King Taejo (r. 1392–1398) as the main palace, and the royal villa lot became the back garden of the palace. It was used as the site for civil service examinations and military training. Following Japan's annexation of Korea in 1910, the Japanese governor of Korea used the Gyeongbokgung grounds for the Government General Building. In July 1939, Japan built an official residence/office for the governor general on the site of Cheong Wa Dae. With the establishment of the Republic of Korea in 1948, President Syngman Rhee called the building "Gyeong Mu Dae" hangul=경무대), which was the name of one of the few old buildings for former official residence there. He used it as his office and residence. In January 1968, North Korean infiltrators nearly reached the building in a bid to assassinate President Park Chung Hee during the Blue House raid. In the ensuing melee, 28 North Koreans, 26 South Koreans, and four Americans were killed. On October 26, 1979, Park was assassinated by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) Director in a safehouse in the Blue House grounds. Presidents Park, Choi Kyu ha, and Chun Doo hwan used the building both as their office and official residence. While President Roh Tae woo was in office, a new office building, official residence, and press center, called Chunchu gwan, was built. The main office building was opened in April 1991. In 1993, during Kim Young sam's presidency, the building built by Japan for the then official residence was dismantled.

On March 20, 2022, South Korea's President elect Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he would take office on May 10 in the Ministry of National Defense building in the Yongsan District of Seoul, and open the Blue House to the public as a park. In May 2022, in accordance with an order issued by Yoon Suk Yeol after he took office, the building officially converted into a public park and opened to public visitation for the first time in its 74 year history, with a maximum of 39,000 visitors allowed on a daily basis. The visitors are able to witness cultural performances, tours, and hiking trails that lead to Bugak Mountain, Cheongwadae's scenic backdrop. The Government of South Korea allocated ₩36 billion (about $29.5 million) from government reserve funds for the relocation of the office. However, the Ministry of National Defense at the time faced criticism, with concerns raised regarding the potential negative impact on national security, associated costs, and other issues such as heightened nuclear activity in North Korea and challenges to post pandemic economic recovery. A recent survey revealed that 58% of the people opposed this move.

Cheong Wa Dae security is handled by the Presidential Security Service. Three organizations belong to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency: the 101st Guards, the 202nd Guards, and the 22nd Police Guard, who are all in charge of the security and protection of the Blue House. The 101st Guards protect the interior of Cheong Wa Dae, and the 202nd Guards protect the exterior. The police guards are in charge of guarding the president at events outside Cheong Wa Dae. In the military organization, the first security team belonging to the Capital Security Command is in charge of outer security. There are two battalions, a combat support squadron, an armored squadron, and an air defense unit under its wing. It was established by integrating the 30th and 33rd guards that existed in the past. The number of troops under the wing is about 2,000. Dr. Cho Soo beom of Dankook University's Feng Shui Geography Department introduced the site of the 7th Palace, where many concubines lived, and the alienated and abandoned land that was once used as a temporary tomb for martial arts training for soldiers. He said that the Cheong Wa Dae site was exposed to the surrounding miscellaneous energy and that Gyeongbokgung was also long and ugly throughout the Joseon Dynasty, and there were many disagreements.

Geomancers have long considered the area in which Cheong Wa Dae is located as an auspicious location. This view was backed up by an inscription on a stone wall that reads: "The Most Blessed Place on Earth", found behind the official presidential residence during the construction of a new building in 1990. Others contend that it is cursed, due to the misfortunes that have befallen its previous occupants. To the north is the mountain Bukhansan, flanked by two mountains, Naksan, symbolizing the Azure Dragon, on the left and Inwangsan symbolizing the White tiger, on the right. To the south is Namsan, the protective mountain of the capital. In front flow the Cheonggyecheon stream and Han River.

The Blue House logo was first enacted in 1995 during the Kim Young sam administration. The logo was modified in 2005 during the Roh Moo hyun administration. In 2008, with the inauguration of Lee Myung bak government, a new logo was released. In 2013, a new logo was released with the launch of Park Geun hye's government and was used until the end of Moon Jae in's government in 2022.