Yoon Kwon-young: "Returning to Cheongwadae Will Take 1 to 3 Months... Underground Bunker Facilities Need Inspection"

"The Key Issues for Returning to Cheongwadae:
Remodeling and the Underground Bunker"

As the Lee Jaemyung administration has formed a task force (TF) for the return to Cheongwadae, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Yoon Kwon-young stated, "According to internal sources, it will take about one to three months to return to Cheongwadae," adding, "If they decide to do so, unopened areas such as the Yeomin Building and the security building could be used within a month."

Yoon, who served as Director of the State Affairs Planning and Situation Room at Cheongwadae during the Moon Jaein administration, said on MBC Radio's "Kim Jongbae's Focus" on June 10, "The timing of moving into Cheongwadae depends on several criteria, including whether the site is open to the public," and explained, "Areas that are open, such as the Main Building, Yeongbingwan, and the Grand Garden, require stronger security measures, but unopened areas like the Yeomin Building, the Security Office, and the underground bunker require fewer security measures."

The view of Cheongwadae from downtown Seoul on the 29th of last month. Photo by Dongjoo Yoon

He also emphasized, "The important issue is remodeling."

Yoon said, "The Yeomin Building is a very old structure, several decades old, and there are even stories that a safety inspection would classify it as a hazard or that rats have been seen there," adding, "Depending on whether remodeling is carried out, it could take a considerable amount of time to move into Cheongwadae. However, since there is a pledge to return to Cheongwadae within 100 days of inauguration, it seems unlikely that extensive remodeling will be done." The Yeomin Building is divided into three sections, with the President's office on the third floor of Yeomin 1, and the Chief of Staff and Senior Secretaries' offices on the second floor.

Regarding security facilities such as the National Crisis Management Center in the underground bunker, he explained, "Since these areas are not open to the public, there are no security issues," but added that inspections are needed to reactivate the facilities.

Yoon claimed, "When former President Yoon Sukyeol abruptly decided to relocate the presidential office to Yongsan, a new underground bunker was needed there as well," and continued, "Since it was difficult to procure key equipment, they reportedly dismantled and took equipment from the Cheongwadae underground bunker. Therefore, it is necessary to check on site what was taken." He added, "It took about a year just to build the underground bunker at Cheongwadae," and noted, "Depending on the situation, there may be a period when the crisis management center must be operated in a dual structure."