[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol announced on the 20th that he would move the presidential office to Yongsan, but the Blue House opposed this on the 21st, citing a 'security vacuum' as the reason.
Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Chief of Public Communication, stated this during a briefing, saying, "I will report the results of today's expanded National Security Council (NSC) meeting with related ministers."
Park said, "The plan to relocate the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the presidential office, the secretariat, and the security office within the tight timeframe before the new government takes office seems excessive," emphasizing, "Especially as the security crisis on the Korean Peninsula is escalating, it is a time when security capabilities need to be more consolidated than ever."
He added, "It is necessary to carefully consider concerns that the sudden relocation of the unprepared Ministry of National Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as the Blue House Crisis Management Center, could cause a security vacuum and confusion."
Park said, "Issues such as adjusting the defense system, including the no-fly zone centered around the Blue House, must also be reviewed," adding, "Unless there is an urgent situation that requires rushing, it is logical to proceed with the relocation only when the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Blue House are all prepared."
The Blue House is reportedly conveying this message to the president-elect and the transition team. Park emphasized, "We will make the final decision after sufficient necessary consultations," and added, "Until midnight on the last day of the current administration, the command of the military is an inescapable responsibility of the current president."
Accordingly, it has become practically impossible to submit and process the supplementary budget for the office relocation at the Cabinet meeting scheduled for the 22nd. However, a Blue House official stated, "If consultations go well at any time, we can hold an extraordinary Cabinet meeting to handle it," leaving room for flexibility.
The reason the Blue House opposes President-elect Yoon's 'Yongsan era' is due to concerns about security vulnerabilities. A Blue House official explained, "Security is usually most vulnerable during government transitions," adding, "Next month, North Korea's annual event (the Day of the Sun) is scheduled, and it is also the period for the annual joint exercises between South Korea and the U.S., so this period represents an escalated security crisis on the Korean Peninsula."
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