President Lee Jae Myung officially began his duties at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday, restoring the historic complex as the presidential office for the first time in 1,330 days, since former President Moon Jae-in left office on May 9, 2022. The move, coming more than six months into Lee’s administration, signals a decisive end to the turbulent “Yongsan era” — marked by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration and subsequent impeachment — and the start of a renewed “Cheong Wa Dae era.” After departing his official residence in Hannam-dong, Lee arrived at Cheong Wa Dae at around 9:12 a.m., entering through its main gate in a presidential vehicle as dozens of supporters across the street waved national flags and chanted slogans to welcome the president on his first day commuting to the historic site. After arriving at the main building, the president stepped out of his vehicle wearing a black coat and a necktie woven with red, blue and white — a color combination widely interpreted as symbolizing unity, with red and blue traditionally associated with conservativ