People Power Party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin on the 26th demanded an explanation for why President Lee Jae-myung has lived for more than a year at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul — the same compound the Democratic Party once denounced as a palace of excess.
"The Democratic Party and President Lee attacked the Hannam-dong residence as a palace of excess and a luxury residence. Now that he has actually lived there, does he find it to his liking?" Bae said at a full session of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. "The office was moved to Cheong Wa Dae within a few months. He needs to explain to the public why only the residence has failed to return for more than a year."
Turning to Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young, Bae said: "During the presidential campaign, President Lee said it was a genuine waste to spend money on things like government buildings, yet within six days of taking office he approved 25.9 billion won in contingency funds for the return to Cheong Wa Dae." She added, "Cheong Wa Dae, which drew 8.52 million visitors, has been locked up, the office was relocated within five months, and he has been commuting for more than a year from the Hannam-dong residence he criticized as a palace of excess."
Bae also challenged Cheong Wa Dae's explanation that the move to the residence has been delayed because of cracks in walls and roof tiles. Noting that total spending on repairs to the residence's roof tiles and columns and on facility management at Cheong Wa Dae exceeded 11.5 billion won from 2023 through 2025, she said: "That clearly means maintenance has been carried out, so why have repairs been going on for more than a year? Is a full-scale remodeling under way?"
Choi responded that repairs for facility upkeep and remodeling for security purposes appear to be separate issues.
"They called it a palace of excess, but once they moved into the Hannam-dong residence, wasn't it to their satisfaction — the hinoki bath, the dressing room, the screen golf facility? There is talk that this is why he is deliberately not leaving," Bae said. "As the government spokesperson, please state your position."
Choi said what the government spokesperson can announce and what the Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson can announce appear to be different.
Bae on the same day asked the ministry to submit records including itemized details of facility maintenance and repairs at Cheong Wa Dae and the residence over the past three years, and whether President Lee and his wife had visited the Cheong Wa Dae residence in advance.
