[News Terms] '10 Downing Street' Representing the UK Government

During his state visit to the United Kingdom, President Yoon Suk-yeol signed the 'Downing Street Accord' with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, marking a leap in bilateral relations to the highest level across defense, economy, and future cooperation.

The name of this agreement is derived from the Prime Minister's residence in London where the summit was held, '10 Downing Street.' Downing Street is the political and administrative center of London, housing the official residences of the UK Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, as well as key government departments such as the Foreign Office, Home Office, and Ministry of Defence. It is located on a major road leading from Trafalgar Square in central London towards Big Ben. Among these, 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's residence, is synonymous with the UK government itself and is also referred to as 'Number 10.'

Downing Street originated when G. Downing (1623?1684), a key figure in the 18th-century Restoration, built a building here and leased it to the Treasury. Since 1735, it has been used as the official residence of the Prime Minister. Although the Prime Minister’s family residence is located above the office, the adjacent 11 Downing Street is larger, and in recent decades, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister have swapped residences.

The residence is known to have over 100 rooms, with private living quarters on the third floor and kitchens in the basement. Other floors contain meeting rooms, office spaces, reception areas, waiting rooms, and banquet halls, where the Prime Minister conducts official business and hosts government officials, dignitaries, and foreign senior officials for receptions. Behind the building is a garden approximately 2,000 square meters in size. It adjoins St James's Park and is close to Buckingham Palace, the residence of the British monarch, and the Palace of Westminster, the UK Parliament building.

The entrance alley to Downing Street is secured by iron gates, which are often crowded with protesters. Tourists can view the exterior of the Prime Minister’s office beyond the gates. The black-painted door is the most photographed front door in the UK. Nationally significant policies and decisions have been announced in front of this door, and world leaders visiting the UK Prime Minister take photos with it as a backdrop.

The 10 Downing Street building is large and suitably located near the Parliament, but initially it received little attention and was sometimes neglected. Over time, as it aged, it faced demolition threats due to maintenance costs more than once. However, it has survived to become a site where numerous historic events have been recorded. On the 250th anniversary of the building’s completion in 1985, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher described it as "one of the most precious treasures of Britain's heritage." Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who resigned last year, spent ?200,000 (about 310 million KRW) on refurbishing curtains, wallpaper, and furniture in the outdated residence, which sparked controversy over the Conservative Party sponsor covering the cost of this luxurious interior renovation.