Cheong Wa Dae means “building with blue (청 – ‘Cheong’) roof tiles (와 – ‘wa’). That’s why in English, the President Complex is The Blue House. It’s located near Gyeongbokgung Palace, at the site of Gyeongmudae (archery range). At this location, civil service examinations, military recruitment, and martial arts competitions took place. In the back of Blue House is Bugaksan Mountain, one of the four mountains surrounding the old city of Seoul. From the garden, in front of the President’s Office, you can enjoy the fantastic views of Namsan and the city of Seoul.

Cheong Wa Dae was the home to the executive office and the residence of the President of South Korea. The complex also accommodates the Presidential Secretariat and Press Center. President Youn Posun (1960-62, 4th presidential term) first used Cheong Wa Dae to describe its office and residence. As of May 10, 2022 the Blue House is open to the public because president Yoon Suk-yeol moved its official office to Yongsan. Now, you can tour the grounds of the Blue House and explore areas what were not open to the public before.

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