Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, speaks during a press briefing marking six months of the Lee Jae Myung administration held at the presidential office in Seoul on Sunday. (Yonhap)
Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, speaks during a press briefing marking six months of the Lee Jae Myung administration held at the presidential office in Seoul on Sunday. (Yonhap)

The presidential office said Sunday it plans to relocate office facilities to the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul before Christmas, following months of repairs and renovation works.

Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, announced the relocation plan during a press briefing marking six months of the Lee Jae Myung administration.

"The presidential office will return to Cheong Wa Dae, where it should have been," Kang said. "The relocation of office facilities is expected to be completed around Christmas."

Kang said environmental maintenance and communication work at Cheong Wa Dae have been completed, while the briefing room will be relocated to the compound between Dec. 20-23.

In 2022, former President Yoon Suk Yeol relocated the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul to the defense ministry compound in Yongsan and remodeled the foreign minister's official residence into the presidential home.

Since taking office in June, Lee said he will move the office back to Cheong Wa Dae once renovations are completed.

Kang also said Lee will fulfill his pledge to appoint a special inspector once the National Assembly recommends candidates, a required procedure for the appointment.

The office of the special inspector was established in 2014 to conduct investigations into alleged irregularities committed by the president's spouse and close relatives, and senior presidential officials, but has been vacant since 2016.

"The National Assembly must first recommend a candidate for the special inspector and send the recommendation to us," Kang said. "Once the National Assembly recommends a candidate, we will promptly appoint that person as the special inspector."

Under law, the National Assembly is required to recommend three candidates with at least 15 years of legal experience, from which the president selects one.

Opposition lawmakers called for the appointment of a special inspector following the resignation of Kim Nam-kuk, the presidential secretary for digital communications, over allegations that he made an improper personnel request using his link to Kang and Kim Hyun-ji, Lee's personal secretary and longtime aide. (Yonhap)