New Bus Route Brings Visitors to Cheong Wa Dae

A brand-new bus route will bring visitors right to the doorstep of Cheong Wa Dae and the hiking trail on Mt. Bukak behind the compound when they open to the public on Tuesday. The new route started early this month.

Cheong Wa Dae's interiors remain locked to visitors until the move of the presidential office to downtown premises is complete. But up to 6,500 visitors at a time can wander around the palatial compound in six slots of two hours each from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., or 39,000 people a day.

Visitors will be allowed in right after the inauguration of president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday. Around 26,000 people who booked early were chosen in a draw to be the first to step into what was for many decades the exclusive domain of presidents and their staff.

At the moment bookings need to be made on the Cheong Wa Dae website nine days before any scheduled visit. On the first day of booking, some 90,900 people applied to visit.

Meanwhile, Yoon starts his official duties on Tuesday at his new office in the former Defense Ministry building in Yongsan after taking his oath of office in the National Assembly compound at 11 a.m. His first Cabinet meeting is expected as early as Thursday with some ministers left over from the Moon Jae-in administration in attendance.

Yoon promised in March that he would convene his first Cabinet meeting in the Sejong administrative city, but the plans changed because prime minister nominee Han Duck-soo and other ministerial appointees have yet to be approved by the National Assembly.

"Due to a lack of cooperation by the Minjoo Party, the confirmation hearings have been delayed, making it difficult to convene an all-new Cabinet meeting" which requires at least 20 members to be present, a source on Yoon's transition team said.

Only four out of Yoon's 13 Cabinet nominees have been approved by the National Assembly so far, including Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho.