Blue House

The location of Cheongwadae was the site of a royal villa in what was then Hanyang, the southern capital of the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). It was built by King Sukjong (r. 1095–1105) in 1104. Goryeo's principal capital was at Kaesong, and it also maintained a western capital at Pyongyang and an eastern capital at Gyeongju.

After the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897) moved its capital to Hanyang, Gyeongbokgung was built in 1395, the fourth year of the reign of King Taejo (r. 1392–1398) as the main palace, and the royal villa lot became the back garden of the palace. It was used as the site for civil service examinations and military training.

Following the Empire of Japan's annexation of the Korean Empire in 1910, the Governor-General of Korea used the Gyeongbokgung grounds for the Government-General Building. In July 1939, Japan built an official residence/office for the governor-general on the site of Cheongwadae.

With the establishments of the Republic of Korea in 1948, President Syngman Rhee called the building "Gyeongmudae" (Korean: 경무대; Hanja: 景武臺), which was the name of one of the few old buildings for former official residence there. He used it as his office and residence. President Yun Bo-seon changed the name to "Cheongwadae" after he was inaugurated in 1960.

In 1968, North Korean infiltrators nearly reached the building in a bid to assassinate President Park Chung-hee during the Blue House raid. In the ensuing melee, 28 North Koreans, 26 South Koreans and four Americans were killed.

Presidents Park Chung-hee, Choi Kyu-ha, and Chun Doo-hwan used the building both as their office and official residence. While President Roh Tae-woo was in office, a new office building, official residence, and press center, called Chunchu-gwan, were built. The main office building was opened in April 1991. In 1993 during Kim Young-sam's presidency, the building built by Japan for then official residence was dismantled.

Gardens on the grounds of Cheong Wa Dae

Geomancers have long considered the area in which Cheongwadae is located as an auspicious location. This view was backed up by an inscription on a stone wall that reads: "The Most Blessed Place on Earth", found behind the official presidential residence during the construction of a new building in 1990.

To the north is the mountain Bukhansan, flanked by two mountains, Naksan, symbolizing the Azure Dragon, on the left and Inwangsan, symbolizing the White Tiger, on the right. To the south is Namsan, the protective mountain of the capital. In front flow the Cheonggyecheon stream and Han River.

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  One of the buildings at the Cheongwadae Reception Center
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  Another building at the Reception Center
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  Near the entrance to the Blue House grounds
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  Monument on road in front of the Blue House, administrative building in background
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  View over the Gyeongbokgung and the Blue House at the foot of Bukaksan
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  Aerial view of the Blue House
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  Fountain in front of the Blue House
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  A bridge connecting the garden area to the Reception Center
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  View from the balcony of the visitors center
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  President George W. Bush at the Blue House in February 2002
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  Presidents Barack Obama and Lee Myung-bak inside the Blue House in November 2010

• 2009 Iris (KBS drama)
• 2010 Big Thing (SBS drama)
• 2013 King of Ambition (SBS drama)
• 2015 Assembly (KBS drama)
• 2019 Vagabond (SBS drama)
• 2019 Designated Survivor: 60 Days (tvN drama)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cheongwadae.

• Korean architecture
• History of South Korea
• History of Korea
• List of Korea-related topics
• National Assembly Building

• Office of the President
• Blue House entry in Visit Korea