Former President Yoon Seok-yeol is expected to vacate the official residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, as early as next week.
According to the presidential office on the 5th, former President Yoon is staying at the Hannam-dong residence on the second day after his dismissal, preparing to vacate. It is expected that he will need to wait at least until this weekend to be able to move out.
In the past, former President Park Geun-hye left the Blue House official residence for her private home in Samsung-dong on the evening of the 12th, just two days after her impeachment was upheld on March 10, 2017.
After vacating, former President Yoon is likely to move back to his previous residence in Seocho-dong. Even after taking office in May 2022, he commuted from this location for about six months under the protection of the Presidential Security Service until the renovations of the Hannam-dong residence were completed. Since security had already been established at this location, it is not expected to take a long time to set up a security system again.
However, there are reports that it is not easy to install a security office at the Seocho-dong residence, which is a mixed-use complex, and that former President Yoon and his spouse are looking for a different location due to the number of pets they have.
A representative from the security service said, "Once the location where former President Yoon will relocate is decided, security operations will be conducted in accordance with relevant laws and regulations," but noted, "No plans for vacating have been notified yet."
According to the 'Law on the Treatment of Former Presidents,' security and protection for former presidents will continue even if a president is impeached and vacates during their term.
The presidential office did not release an official stance on former President Yoon's dismissal even on the second day after the impeachment was upheld. The presidential office's website was also shut down on this day. When accessing the presidential office's website, the only notice available was, 'Currently, the presidential office's website service is under maintenance. The website service will be temporarily suspended during the maintenance period.'
On social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, former President Yoon's account was listed as 'President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Seok-yeol' until the day before, but it was changed to 'Yoon Seok-yeol, the 20th President' starting today.
It is also reported that the weekly Deputy Minister and Chief Secretary meeting chaired by Chief of Staff Jin Seok, which has been held every Sunday since the suspension of former President Yoon's duties, will not be held starting from the 6th.