State Banquet with Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of Vietnam, at Cheong Wa Dae Reception Hall
Using Luxury Hotels for Foreign Dignitaries Deemed Unfit for National Prestige
New Reception Hall Construction Plan Withdrawn Amid Public Criticism
"The utilization of the Cheongwadae Guesthouse holds significance in terms of inheriting history and tradition as well as the practical reuse of space."
After the state banquet with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the afternoon of the 5th, Lee Jae-myung, deputy spokesperson of the Presidential Office, explained in a written briefing that this was the reason for using the Cheongwadae Guesthouse. The implication is that the Cheongwadae Guesthouse is the optimal venue befitting the national dignity.
Initially, with the Yongsan era underway, the Presidential Office opened Cheongwadae to the public for the first time in 74 years and refrained from using the Presidential Office facilities. Since President Yoon used the National Museum of Korea for the state dinner during U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit in May, he has used the Yongsan Presidential Office building and luxury hotels as venues for receptions and dinners during about ten visits by heads of state. Last month, he also hosted a luncheon at the Hannam-dong residence for Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.
However, within the Presidential Office, there have been opinions that using luxury hotels for hosting foreign dignitaries is not appropriate for the national dignity, and that the Hannam-dong presidential residence is difficult to use every time due to its limited capacity for large-scale guests. A senior official of the Presidential Office said, "Given Korea’s national dignity, it is not feasible to host foreign dignitaries at hotels or museums every time," adding, "The reception and banquet halls at the Hannam-dong residence can only accommodate about 20 to 30 guests, making them unsuitable for state banquets that gather people from various sectors."
On the other hand, the interior hall of the Cheongwadae Guesthouse is spacious with an area of 500㎡ and a ceiling height of 10 meters, equipped with various facilities for banquets, making it an optimal venue for hosting foreign dignitaries. Another reason for utilizing the Cheongwadae Guesthouse was the difficulty of security in open spaces when holding foreign dignitary banquets at luxury hotels or museums.
According to the Presidential Office, even when Cheongwadae is open to the public, the buildings are spaced apart and the surroundings can be closed off, making security manageable. During the preparation for this event, the Guesthouse area was closed three days in advance, but other parts of Cheongwadae such as the Main Hall, the residence, Sangchunjae, and Nokjiwon were open to visitors as usual. The Presidential Office is also considering limiting the closure to just one day when using the Guesthouse in the future to facilitate public viewing.
There is also speculation that public opinion played a role. During the National Museum of Korea banquet in May, a major exhibition was canceled three days before President Biden’s visit, drawing criticism. There were also concerns that major national cultural assets could be damaged by lighting and other factors. In particular, a new Guesthouse construction plan worth 87.8 billion won faced public opposition and was scrapped. When the new Guesthouse plan was first reported in September, the Presidential Office said, "We believe many citizens will sympathize with the need for a Guesthouse suitable for the Yongsan era," but amid the economic crisis, criticism of "wasteful spending" spread. Consequently, President Yoon ordered the plan to be withdrawn.
Within the ruling party, there are voices welcoming the use of the Cheongwadae Guesthouse. Former Cheongwadae Protocol Secretary Tak Hyun-min posted on his social media on the same day, saying, "It feels like this natural and obvious event of holding state events at the Guesthouse has come back after a long and difficult journey," and added, "I hope the Yoon Seok-yeol administration will now reflect on the purpose, function, historicity, and meaning of Cheongwadae and its annex buildings."
The Presidential Office is expected to continue using the existing Guesthouse as a major event venue by partially renovating it, as long as a new Guesthouse is not prepared. Additionally, the idea of adding accommodations for foreign dignitaries is being discussed at the idea level. Deputy spokesperson Lee said in the briefing, "By holding events at the Cheongwadae Guesthouse, which has history and tradition, we expect to form close emotional bonds with domestic and international distinguished guests."
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