Seoul: Nearly 60 percent of South Koreans express a preference for their new president to resume duties at the historic Cheong Wa Dae compound, based on a recent survey.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a joint poll conducted by KBS, MBC, and SBS revealed that 58.2 percent of respondents favored Cheong Wa Dae as the workplace for the next president. This preference surpasses the 15.4 percent who selected the Yongsan presidential office, previously used by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the 13.9 percent who chose the administrative city of Sejong.
The survey also indicated that 3.6 percent of participants opted for the government complex in central Seoul, while 9 percent remained undecided. The relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan, initially executed by Yoon as a move to foster closer ties with the public, took place a few months after he assumed office in May 2022. Since then, Cheong Wa Dae has been opened to the public for sightseeing.
The poll further highlighted that 36.7 percent of respondents support holding a referendum on constitutional reform during the 2026 local elections, marking the largest group. This contrasts with the 25 percent who favor a public vote during the 2028 parliamentary election, 10.8 percent who prefer it after 2028, and 20.4 percent who are unsure. Additionally, 7.3 percent of respondents consider the referendum unnecessary.
The survey also underscored that more than 62 percent of respondents believe that the incoming government's top priorities should be economic growth and job creation.