[Yongsan Report] Diplomatic Events Are Still Better at 'Cheongwadae' Than 'Yongwaedae'

President Yoon Increasingly Visits Cheong Wa Dae Recently
No Suitable Alternative Venue for Hosting Important Guests

President Yoon Suk-yeol is enjoying a saenghwang performance with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at a state banquet held at the Blue House main building on the 28th during the UAE president's official visit to Korea.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol has been hosting a series of major international and diplomatic events, leading to a noticeable increase in visits to the Blue House. Recently, significant events such as the Korea-Japan-China Summit, a dinner with the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Seoul Summit have all taken place within the Blue House complex. Although it has been two years since the beginning of the 'Yongwadae (Yongsan + Blue House)' era, there remains a perception within the presidential office that the Blue House is still an 'irreplaceable' venue for important diplomatic events.

The climax of the state guest events hosted by President Yoon at the Blue House this year was the dinner held on the 28th of last month at the Blue House Main Building with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In an unusual move, the presidential office opened the terrace on the second floor of the main building to welcome President Mohammed. This gesture symbolized how highly Korea regards the UAE president.

An official who attended the event said, "From the second floor, you can see half of Seoul city, showcasing its development, and the lights of Namsan Seoul Tower blend beautifully, creating a magnificent view." They added, "There are not many places in Seoul where such a view can be presented." Since President Mohammed reaffirmed investment commitments amounting to 40 trillion won, the presidential office explained that they did their utmost to build the 'trust' highly valued in the Middle East.

In addition, the presidential office recently hosted the Korea-Japan-China Summit (May 27), which was realized after four years and five months under the Korean government's leadership, the AI Seoul Summit (May 21), and the state luncheon for President Mohammed (May 29) at the Blue House Guesthouse. Furthermore, First Lady Kim Keon-hee invited the spouses of 16 heads of state who visited Korea for the Korea-Africa Summit on the 4th to the Blue House's Sangchunjae and Nokjiwon to foster friendship.

Sangchunjae and Nokjiwon are also highly regarded as venues where one can appreciate the beauty of traditional hanok architecture and the dignity of the surrounding trees, making it difficult to find alternatives. Former President Moon Jae-in invited then-President Donald Trump and his wife to Sangchunjae during their visit to Korea in 2017, and President Yoon also invited the 2030 Busan World Expo inspection team here in April last year, hosting a dinner lasting over two hours to vigorously promote the bid. An official from the presidential office stated, "There is no suitable place other than the Blue House. Other venues do not provide good conditions for welcoming important guests."