"When the presidential office transferred to Yongsan, Cheong Wa Dae staff left with it, and our steady revenue dropped a lot. If the presidential office is moved back to Cheong Wa Dae as early as the end of this year, won't sales recover and give us some breathing room?" (Restaurant owner A in Hyoja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul)
On 4th, the early days of the long Chuseok holiday, commercial districts adjacent to Cheong Wa Dae, including Hyoja-dong in Jongno-gu, Seoul, were seeing growing expectations for a recovery in the local economy with the presidential office returning to Cheong Wa Dae. In neighborhood shopping streets near Cheong Wa Dae, such as Hyoja-dong, which had been in a slump since the presidential office transferred to Yongsan, there was hope that the return of "regular customers" would revive business if the presidential office returned to Cheong Wa Dae.
Restaurants in the Hyoja-dong area, whose main customers were Cheong Wa Dae staff, saw sales decline for about three years after visits by Cheong Wa Dae employees stopped due to the transfer of the presidential office to Yongsan in May 2022.
Mr. B, who runs a restaurant near Cheong Wa Dae, said, "Restaurants in the Hyoja-dong area had Cheong Wa Dae staff as their main customers, but for more than three years until Jul., Cheong Wa Dae remained open to the public, and only tourists came," and added, "Although domestic tourists increased somewhat, overall sales fell sharply compared with before after the presidential office transferred to Yongsan, as Cheong Wa Dae employees who regularly ate on weekdays left."
He went on to express hope, saying, "If the presidential office is moved to Cheong Wa Dae after the end of this year, the return of staff will allow nearby commercial districts to recover to some extent."
Meanwhile, tourism-centered districts such as around Gyeongbokgung Station, Bukchon and Samcheong-dong, which enjoyed a boom from increased tourists following the transfer of the presidential office, welcomed the return to Cheong Wa Dae but also worried that protests and rallies could reduce accessibility for visitors. After the presidential office moved to Yongsan and Cheong Wa Dae opened to the public, nearby districts became more vibrant as foreign and domestic visitors increased. Cheong Wa Dae, which was open for about 3 years and 2 months, saw 8,521,30 general visitors.
That day as well, Tongin Market, a traditional market near Cheong Wa Dae, bustled with foreign and domestic tourists dressed neatly in hanbok and checking out a variety of foods. In front of stalls selling Tongin Market's signature dishes, such as oil tteokbokki and chicken skewers, tourists formed long lines.
Mr. C, who makes and sells snacks inside Tongin Market, said, "If the presidential office is moved back from Yongsan to Cheong Wa Dae, Cheong Wa Dae staff will return and visit the market again, which will help business," but noted, "If protests or rallies take place, buses end up blocking the market's access roads entirely, making it difficult for tourists to come to the market, which would be a side effect."
Mr. D, who runs a cafe in Tongin-dong, explained, "Commercial districts with strong Korean traditional character, such as near Gyeongbokgung Station or Seochon, have already established themselves as popular spots for foreign tourists, so they will not be greatly affected by the return of the presidential office," and added, "Comparing before and after the end of Cheong Wa Dae's opening, it seems that customers in their 50s and 60s have decreased compared with before."