Yoon's Announcement of Blue House Office Relocation to Yongsan... People Power Party Leadership Says "Unnecessary Controversy Must Be Avoided"

Jin Jeong-seok "Met Former National Security Office Chief Kim Kwan-jin for Advice"
Lee Jun-seok Says Moon Jae-in Would Have Made Different Choices If He Commuted to Work

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is holding a press conference on the relocation of the Blue House presidential office to the Yongsan Ministry of National Defense building at the press conference room of the Presidential Transition Committee, located in the annex of the Korea Financial Training Institute in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 20th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] The leadership of the People Power Party supported President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's announcement on the 20th that the Blue House office will be relocated to the Yongsan Ministry of National Defense building.

Jung Jin-seok, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, stated on Facebook that "Since past presidents have pledged to 'escape the Blue House,' I hope there will be no further unnecessary controversy."

Deputy Speaker Jung emphasized the need to move to Yongsan after recently meeting with former National Security Office Chief Kim Kwan-jin to hear his insights on the new administration's foreign and security policies. He conveyed that former Chief Kim said, "'Yongsan holds an important strategic position, having been garrisoned by Qing dynasty troops, Japanese forces, and U.S. military. It would be appropriate to relocate the presidential office to the Ministry of National Defense building and adjust related defense facilities. The Foreign Minister's residence in Hannam-dong is twice the size of the Defense Minister's residence. The presidential residence can be moved there,'" he said. Former Chief Kim served as Minister of National Defense for three years and six months during the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations and as National Security Office Chief for three years during the Park Geun-hye administration.

Deputy Speaker Jung added, "Former Chief Kim said the president's most important duty is to be the Commander-in-Chief who protects the lives and property of the people," and recalled, "Among Kim's advice, the point that left the strongest impression was, 'Firmly securing military deterrence against North Korea is peace. There are forces that consider bowing to and watching Kim Jong-un as peace. The first security task of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is to swiftly restore the ROK-U.S. security cooperation system.'"

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, also posted on Facebook the previous day, stating, "Recently, there have been criticisms within the party that the president-elect's intentions regarding the initial tasks of the transition committee have not been accurately understood, leading to confusion between main and minor issues," and pointed out, "If President Moon Jae-in had been in a more open space exchanging opinions with a wider range of people, and at least could have seen various faces during his commute, the Moon administration might have made many different choices."

Leader Lee continued, "If he had communicated more with others and been closer to ordinary citizens, he might have realized earlier that it was President-elect Yoon, not Minister Choo Mi-ae, who was right," and added, "The president-elect's actions are steps to relinquish power and a will to communicate with the people from a place closer to them, not hidden away in a secluded palace."