All Time Slots Fully Booked on Weekends and Holidays
Server Crashed Temporarily Due to Surge in Visitors
Demand for tours of the Blue House is surging. As President Lee Jaemyung has expressed his intention to return to the Blue House, the number of visitors hoping to make a last-minute visit has rapidly increased.
According to the Blue House tour reservation website on June 5, reservations for tours on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays this month are already fully booked. There are five time slots available per day, accommodating about 22,000 people, but all reservations were quickly filled. Immediately after President Lee's election victory, a surge of visitors trying to make reservations caused the server to crash multiple times.
On the 29th of last month, citizens lined up to tour the Blue House in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongju
Demand for Blue House tours has soared since April. On April 4, the early presidential election was confirmed following the impeachment ruling against former President Yoon Sukyeol, and speculation about the new administration's possible return to the Blue House led to a large influx of visitors. According to the Blue House Foundation, the number of visitors to the Blue House in April reached 261,974, a roughly 30% increase compared to the same period last year (196,869). The number of visitors in May exceeded 400,000.
President Lee began his term at the Yongsan presidential office on June 4, but he is expected to return to the Blue House after facility repairs are completed. On May 30, when he was still a presidential candidate, President Lee stated on JTBC's YouTube channel that he intended to return to the Blue House as his office. At the time, President Lee said, "It's very old, symbolic, and it's the optimal location," adding, "The Yongsan presidential office has serious security issues such as wiretapping, surveillance, and protection. It's completely exposed and surrounded by apartment complexes. We're discussing state affairs while the whole world is watching."
The timing of President Lee's return to the Blue House has not been determined. However, the ruling party expects that President Lee will return to the Blue House within approximately six months. Since the Blue House has been open to the public, security facilities such as the National Crisis Management Center in the underground bunker need to be restored. President Lee's team is reportedly planning to establish a 'Blue House Relocation Management Task Force (TF)' to facilitate the move from the Yongsan presidential office back to the Blue House.
On the 29th of last month, citizens lined up to tour the Blue House in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongju
Meanwhile, a comprehensive maintenance and repair project is underway on the Blue House's internal walking trails. On this day, the Blue House Foundation announced that it would be conducting full-scale maintenance and repairs along the entire 1.31 km trail, starting from the back road of Chilgung and continuing past Baegakjeong and the path next to Chunchugwan, and that visitor access to the trail would be restricted until the work is completed.
However, the foundation maintains that this construction is unrelated to President Lee Jaemyung's election victory. A foundation official stated, "The construction schedule was planned before the presidential election," and added, "There are no separate instructions yet regarding the return of the presidential office." Until the return of the presidential office is finalized, the foundation will continue to accept tour reservations up to four weeks in advance and hold regular weekend performances as before.
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