Good move? S.Korean president’s home stirs feng shui furore

South Korea’s president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks throughout a information convention on the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul, South Korea, March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool//File Picture

SEOUL, March 18 (Reuters) – South Korea’s President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s plan to interrupt with many years of custom to maneuver his future workplace and residence past Seoul’s Blue Home compound has whipped up a fierce debate involving consultants within the historic apply of feng shui.

Yoon, who received a decent March 9 election, has pledged to relocate his workplace to a extra accessible location, and open the Blue Home to the general public.

His transition committee performed on-site surveys on Friday after drawing up a shortlist of two attainable areas: a international ministry constructing within the downtown district of Gwanghwamun and the defence ministry advanced in close by Yongsan.

After initially favouring Gwanghwamun, he was leaning in direction of the navy compound mainly due to safety considerations, marketing campaign officers mentioned. With lower than two months earlier than Yoon’s swearing-in, a proper announcement is predicted as early as this weekend.

Yoon’s group mentioned the transfer would enhance public entry, communications with aides, and that the Blue Home government mansion had turn out to be a “royal palace,” remoted and enclosed by forests and tight safety.

“We wish to transfer out of the Blue Home, which had been a logo of absolute energy in our historical past, and return that energy to the folks,” Yoon’s spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye informed a briefing on Friday.

Solely a restricted a part of the Blue Home is open to the general public, and any automobile passing the world is topic to safety checks. Final remodelled within the Nineteen Seventies, the primary presidential workplace contained in the compound is way from the place secretaries work, which some officers have mentioned hampers interplay.

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in had additionally mentioned he would discover a new workplace, however deserted the plan for safety and logistical causes.

‘A BLESSED SPOT’

Some Democratic Social gathering officers have mentioned different issues might be in play, and have accused Yoon of being influenced by masters of feng shui, a type of geomancy that originated in China. They’ve mentioned the Blue Home was inauspicious.

The Democrats alleged within the run-up to the election {that a} shaman was intently concerned in Yoon’s marketing campaign. He denied any affect, saying solely that he knew the person as a Buddhist priest.

Jee Jong-hag, head of a serious feng shui society, mentioned the Blue Home is badly positioned, which may clarify why dozens of historic kings labored and lived elsewhere. Extra lately, 4 out of the six presidents within the nation’s 25-year democratic historical past have been imprisoned or dedicated suicide after leaving workplace.

“I do see the hyperlink between the positioning and the ill-fated presidents,” Jee informed Reuters. “However Yongsan is a blessed spot, open and surrounded by mild mountains. It is an incomparably humble but auspicious piece of land in comparison with the Blue Home location.”

Some Democrats referred to as the deliberate transfer a waste of sources that might price as much as 1 trillion received ($822.7 million).

Yoon’s spokeswoman dismissed that projection as “gone too far,” and mentioned his group would decide based mostly on public consensus however not waste taxpayers’ cash.

The Yonhap information company reported that the inside ministry estimated the price of transferring into the defence ministry at round 50 billion received ($41.14 million).

Extraordinary South Koreans expressed blended views. Park Kwang-il, 50, mentioned Yoon ought to foster consensus with affordable grounds as a sudden transfer may trigger site visitors jams or different inconvenience.

Kim Hee-young, 21, mentioned she welcomed Yoon’s intention to spice up public entry, except the relocation was pushed by shamanist perception.

“I hope he would provide you with coverage options by speaking with the folks, however he additionally must console and embrace others who may undergo injury from his choice,” she mentioned.

($1 = 1,215.4800 received)

Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; enhancing by Barbara Lewis

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.