Logo The Cheong Wa Dae 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 the 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. Cheongwadae Logo (1995-2005).svg|1995–2005 Cheongwadae Logo (2005-2008).svg|2005–2008 Cheongwadae Logo (2008-2013).svg|2008–2013 Cheongwadae Logo (2013-2022).svg|2013–2022, 2025–present Cheong Wa Dae has a land area of 253,505 m2 and a floor space of 76,685 pyeong. At the time of the Japanese colonial era, the site area of the Governor-General's office was 644,337 m2, but after liberation, it was reduced to 230,980 m2, and then increased to the current level with the expansion of related buildings and facilities such as security. 73 parcels belong to Cheong Wa Dae, including Sejong-ro 1, 157-94 Samcheong-dong, and 9 other parcels, Sejong-ro 1-91 and 17 parcels, and Gungjeong-dong 1–2, and 43 parcels. From December 2007 to February 2008, the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation covered the leaders of the Roh Moo Hyun government who were about to retire and made the last 100 days of the regime a documentary about Cheong Wa Dae. The program captured secret stories from the main building, where the president's office is located, to the official residence and the Yeomingwan. Lee Myung-bak also made and released his documentary video shortly before his retirement, and the interior of Cheong Wa Dae, including the official residence, was also released to some extent. Moon Jae-in opened the office to commemorate the 100th day since his presidency.
Main building The main building () was built in September 1991 and used for the president's office. There was also criticism that the space was larger than necessary and that it was closer to a building for protocol than a space for work and communication, so when President
Moon Jae-In took office, he decided to see only official work here. The main gate of Cheong Wa Dae is called the 11th gate; it is a place where ministers and officials of higher rank enter during the Cabinet meetings. The interior was partially unveiled on the day of Moon Jae-In's inauguration. The main building is based on traditional wooden structures and palace architecture. It has single-story annexes arranged on the left and right sides and 150,000 Korean blue tiles on the second floor. On the first floor of the main building, there is the First Lady's office, the Mugunghwa Room, a reception room, and the Inwang Room used for small lunches, dinners, and refreshments. The second floor features the president's office, reception room, and a white room where people eat. The lawn in front of the building includes a state welcome event, a military honor guard, and a traditional funeral. Sejong Room, a separate building on the west side, was the venue for Cabinet meetings and appointment award events, while Chungmu Room, a separate building on the east side, was the venue for medium-sized lunches, dinners, and meetings.
Yeongbingwan The Yeongbingwan or the guest house () was completed in December 1978 as a building for large-scale meetings, welcoming foreign state guests, and various official events. It is currently the oldest modern building in the Cheong Wa Dae complex. The first floor is a reception area for foreign guests as a reception room, and the second floor is a place where large-scale luncheon and dinner events are held, decorated with Mugunghwa and laurel trees. In the past, there was no space in the Cheong Wa Dae to greet state guests. Therefore, the Chosun Hotel and Walkerhill Hotel were used, or the Korean house was used as a guest house. In 1958, the Syngman Rhee administration nationalized
Jangchungdan Park to build a guesthouse and began construction. Construction was temporarily suspended due to the
April 19 Revolution and the
May 16 military coup, but the Shilla Hotel guesthouse was completed in February 1967. However, it was eventually sold to the public in 1973 and became the current Shilla Hotel. As the event space at Cheong Wa Dae was not suitable for the national status, construction of the current guesthouse on the old site of
Gyeongnongjae, began in January 1978. The guesthouse was completed at the end of that year; in October 1998, the surrounding old buildings were renovated and then re-renovated in June 2000. Park Geun-hye's daily life was revealed when Kim Mak-up, a contractor and butler when Park was in office, was investigated by prosecuters. At this time, the structure of the official residence was also known, and according to his statement, the official residence was divided into an inner room and an annex, and the annex was where the bodyguard resided. At that time, the interior had a bedroom, study, fitness room, newsroom, Korean room, powder room, etc., and the president's bedroom was equipped with a bed, dressing table, drawer, TV, desk, laptop, and intercom. The annex had a security room, a cooking room, a dining room, and a reception room which consisted of a meeting table, a round table, and a TV. Presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, and Roh Moo-hyun stayed at Cheong Wa Dae on the last day of their terms and left Cheong Wa Dae the next day. Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, and Lee Myung-bak left Cheong Wa Dae on the last day of their terms and served as presidents until midnight. Meanwhile, Choi Kyu-hah and Park Geun-hye stepped down before a successor was decided, both of whom stayed at Cheong Wa Dae for a few more days after their presidential terms ended. Previous presidents moved in at the same time as they took office, but Moon Jae-In did not move in until the third day of his inauguration due to facility maintenance. This was the first time since the completion of the official residence. Before the construction of the current main building and official residence during Roh Tae-woo's presidency, the old main building's first floor served as the presidential office, while the second floor functioned as the presidential residence. It is said that during this period, there were two shutters on the stairs connecting these floors. Later, under Roh Tae-woo's government, the current official residence building was built behind the former main building, incorporating traditional architectural styles to maximize the function of the residential space. The layout included a main building for living space, an annex for hosting events, and the creation of traditional-style gardens and men's quarters in the front yard. Near the official residence, there is a pavilion called Ounjeong and a building called Chimryugak. It was originally located at the current site of the official residence, but was moved to its current location during the new construction. In addition to the Ounjeong Pavilion, there were two to three pavilions in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts that have now been demolished. The date when both the Ounjeong Pavilion and the Chimryugak Pavilion were built is unknown. However, it seems that it was built afterwards, considering that neither building is mentioned in the shape of the northern palace, which is believed to have been built in 1907. Some say it was built during the Rhee Syngman era, but the signboard of Oh Un-Jeong is also handwritten by
Syngman Rhee. The so-called handsome stone Buddha, the stone seated Buddha of the square pedestal of Gyeongju, is also located around the official residence. As the name suggests, it was originally located in Gyeongju, but it is said that Governor
Masatake Terouchi moved to the governor's residence during the Japanese colonial period. When the official residence was newly built in the 1930s, the Buddha statue was also moved, and in 1989, when the official residence of the Cheong Wa Dae was newly built, it moved back to its current position. With the inauguration of President Yoon Suk Yeol on 10 May 2022, it lost its function as an official residence and was changed to an old residence.
Yeomingwan Yeomingwan () is the place where Cheong Wa Dae aides work and is divided into three buildings. It was changed to Wiminkwan during the presidency of Lee Myung-bak. When President Moon Jae-in took office, it was returned to Yeomingwan, the name of the expansion during the Roh Moo-hyun regime. Yeomingwan is taken from Yeomin Dongrak, a phrase from Mencius, and means "to share joy with the people". On the other hand, Wimin speculates that it means 'politics for the people'. Shortly after its launch, the Moon Jae-in government initially considered retaining the name "Women's Hall" but ultimately reverted to "Yeomin Hall." It aimed to prevent any suggestion of hierarchy, ensuring the people were not perceived as subordinate to Cheong Wa Dae. The main building and Yeomingwan are about 500m away. Roh Moo-hyun envisioned a Korean-style West Wing while constructing Yeomin Hall 1, and frequently worked there. However, in the second half of his administration, he preferred the office of the main building, and Lee Myung-bak also received reports from the office of the Yeomingwan three or four times. Park Geun-hye did not visit the office of Yeomingwan during her presidency, but Moon Jae-in worked at Yeomingwan again. The construction of Yeomin Hall 1 began in May 2004 and was completed in December. It has a floor space of 974 pyeong with one basement floor and three ground floors. The Chief of Staff's office and the State Affairs Office are located on the second floor, and the President's simple office, small meeting room, and conference room are located on the third floor. Before the establishment of Yeomin Hall 1, Yeomin Hall 2 was referred to as an annex, while Yeomin Hall 3 was known as Dong Annex. Completed in 1969 and 1972, respectively, both are older structures. Following a safety assessment rating them as a D-grade, the National Assembly prioritized budget allocation for repair work.
Sugungteo Sugungteo Site () was named because the former main building, the official building of the Governor-General of Joseon during the Japanese colonial period, was demolished in November 1993 and restored to its old state. In addition, information boards and commemorative stones of the old main building were made to inform visitors of the origin of the Sugung site.
Sangchunjae Sangchunjae () is a traditional hanok located behind Nokjiwon, the garden of Cheong Wa Dae, and is used for foreign guests. The meaning of Sangchunjae is "a house where spring always continues". The current site of Sangchunjae Pass was the site of an annex called Maehwasil, a Japanese-style wooden building during the Japanese colonial period. It was about 66 square meters in size. After the establishment of the government, it was changed to Sangchunsil, which was used as a ritual building for refreshments and dinner events. Later, in March 1978, Sangchunsil was demolished and Sangchunjae, a 73m2 natural slate roof-style wooden building, was built. In November 1982, the existing Sangchunjae Pass was demolished, and a 417.96m2 hanok was completed in half a year, taking its current shape. It is the first traditional hanok built in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts, and it is said to have used Chunyangmok (Content 4), which is more than 200 years old. Inside, there is a living room made of Daecheongmaru and two ondol rooms. Chun Doo-hwan is said to have frequently met foreign guests and held informal meetings at Sangchunjae. Successive presidents also used it as a venue for informal meetings and meetings with foreign leaders. Park Geun-hye held a New Year's press conference at Sangchunjae for the first time in January 2017, when the impeachment trial was underway. After Moon Jae-In took office, Sangchunjae Pass underwent repair due to extensive moisture damage over time. Until the Kim Dae-jung government, reporters could freely go to the secretariat building in Cheong Wa Dae to cover the secretary. Since the Roh Moo Hyun administration, security measures have strengthened, resulting in a complete ban on reporters accessing Cheong Wa Dae grounds; it can only be covered by the Spring and Autumn Hall. Briefings by Cheong Wa Dae officials now take place at Chunchugwan. Under a press pool system, representatives cover events and share content, imposing significant restrictions on Cheong Wa Dae coverage. File:CheongWaDae Press Briefing 20170526 07 (34107320273).jpg|Interior of the Chunchugwan File:CheongWaDae Press Briefing 20170516 05 (34306380990).jpg|Press Briefing
Mugunghwa Dongsan park Mugunghwa Dongsan () is a civic park built after demolishing five KCIA safe houses in July 1993. The park is 10,560 m,2 it faces Cheong Wa Dae, and the back gate faces Changchangmun. In the middle is a central square and a well. A stone wall 30m long and 3m high is located at the site of the safe house where
Park Chung Hee was assassinated.
Chilgung Chilgung () is a Joseon-era shrine located right next to the Cheong Wa Dae guesthouse. It is called Chilgung because it enshrines the seven concubines who could not become queens. Due to the security of Cheong Wa Dae, only those who have applied to visit the Cheong Wa Dae are allowed to watch the commentary. In the wake of the 21 January incident, the north of Chilgung Palace was demolished to create a road; it was a habitual traffic accident area, but it was also aimed at strengthening the security of Cheong Wa Dae. Due to this construction, Jeogyeonggung Palace and Daebingung Palace were moved to their current positions. Chilgung Palace reopened to the public in connection with Cheong Wa Dae visits in 2001.
Seobyeolgwan Seobyeolgwan () is a meeting-only building located on the west side of the main building of Cheong Wa Dae, facing Chunchugwan with a heliport in between. Yeonpungmun Gate, located right in front of it, is a place where Cheong Wa Dae employees enter and outsiders enter. Secret meetings known as the "Seobyeolgwan Conference" were frequently held within the Cheong Wa Dae, because its secure location and lack of access records maintained confidentiality. Originating in 1997 to address the IMF economic crisis, it has since been used in many governments. In October 2002, during a hearing on remittance to North Korea, Rep.
Uhm Ho-sung of the
Grand National Party publicly referenced the conference for the first time. During the Lee Myung-bak administration, there were weekly discussions on economic matters that occurred under the banner of a macro-policy council, involving key figures such as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, the
governor of the Bank of Korea, the chairman of the Financial Services Commission, and the senior presidential secretary for economic affairs. However, there was often criticism that it was a closed-door agreement because no records, including the duration of the meetings, were left. Controversy escalated when, during an annex meeting, 4.2 trillion won worth of funding was given by the Park Geun-hye government as a way to support
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. Criticism also mounted over the decision to set economic policies and determine the fate of insolvent conglomerates and banks at secret meetings. As a result, the Seobyeolgwan Conference, which was called the "hotbed of government administration", was no longer held after June 2016, but revived in December 2018 under the name of the Economic Coordination Conference after the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government. In November 2019, the interior structure of the annex was remodelled while keeping its appearance intact. It was an underdeveloped and closed building, and there was a lack of conference rooms in the Cheong Wa Dae precincts. The purpose was to relocate secretive meetings from the closed-door chamber to Yangji, converting it into a meeting venue accommodating both high-level and working-level officials. During the remodelling process, a name change was considered, but this was cancelled because "it could be an opportunity to change the name of Seobyeolgwan, which has been disgraced".
Sihwa and Yeonpung Gates Sihwamun Gate () and Yeonpungmun Gate () are the doors of Cheong Wa Dae but are separated from the main gate. Yeonpungmun Gate served as a guide building for visitors to Cheong Wa Dae and was completed in February 2009. It is 859m2 in size with two floors above ground and one basement floor. On the first floor, there is a visitor information room, a rest room, an entrance gate, and the Nonghyup Blue House branch, and on the second floor, there is a book cafe and an interview room. It is an eco-friendly building with a geothermal system and a solar panel system. Yeonpungmun Gate was also controversial as a place where various official and informal meetings were held and attended by Cheong Wa Dae officials. In 2009, there were suspicions that executives of three mobile carriers, SK Telecom, LG Uplus, and KT, were invited to contribute a large amount of funds, and a secret meeting attended by policy advisers such as defense, administrative safety, unification, and foreign trade was also held at Yeonpungmun. There was also talk that an official from the Mir Foundation participated in the Yeonpungmun meeting in 2016. In 1970 an information room was established in Cheong Wa Dae. In August 2007, during the Roh Moo Hyun government, the 55-myeon meeting room and the 22 information room, which were the names of the information rooms at the time, have been changed to the Bukak information room and the fountain information room, respectively. These numbers were the numbers of the guard post where the information room was located, which was intended to be changed into soft, easy-to-understand words that could help visitors understand. After the inauguration of the Lee Myung-bak government, the existing information room, which had few convenience facilities other than two sofas, was extensively constructed to take its current shape. The names of the Bukak Information Room and the fountain Information Room were also changed to Yeonpungmun Gate and Sihwamun Gate, respectively, which were derived from Sihwa Yeonpung, meaning "opening the era of harmony and growing the economy every year". It also created a bank on the premises that visitors and employees could use, and Nonghyup was finally selected. The main gate of Cheong Wa Dae is only available to a small number of people, including the president, foreign leaders, and Cabinet members; most Cheong Wa Dae employees enter through Yeonpungmun Gate or Sihwamun Gate. Sihwamun Gate, adjacent to Gyeongho-dong, is mainly used by bodyguards, and Yeonpungmun Gate, adjacent to Yeomingwan, is mainly used by secretarial staff. == Public access and security ==