Ministry of National Defense Returns to Former Headquarters After Removing "Hinoki Sauna"

Ministry of National Defense Relocates Next Month
Moving Expenses Alone Reach 20.58 Billion Won

The Ministry of National Defense is moving back to its old headquarters after about four years. The ministry is returning to the building formerly used by the presidential office during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, after the relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan.

According to government sources on July 28, the Ministry of National Defense began the relocation process on July 21 and is proceeding with the move department by department. Starting in early August, core departments of the Ministry of National Defense, as well as the press room, will be transferred in full scale to the new building. The minister’s office will be the last to move, with the overall relocation scheduled for completion around August 14.

The ministry’s new home is a ten-story building that served as the Yongsan presidential office during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Since 2003, the Ministry of National Defense had occupied this building, but in May 2022, following the Yoon administration’s “relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan,” the building was handed over to the presidential office, and the ministry moved across the street to the Joint Chiefs of Staff building. For over four years since then, the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff shared the same building.

President Lee Jaemyung, who pledged to relocate the presidential office during the presidential campaign, moved the presidential office back to the Blue House approximately six months after taking office, in December last year. With the departure of the presidential office, the Yongsan building remained vacant for about half a year. There were speculations within the government that other central ministries might use the Yongsan office, but ultimately it was decided that the Ministry of National Defense, the former occupant, would return.

The Ministry of National Defense carried out renovations to convert the building, which until recently had been used by the presidential office, back into its own headquarters. These renovations have now been largely completed. Some ancillary facilities, such as the controversial “cypress sauna” that had been installed during President Yoon’s term, were dismantled during the renovation process.

Once the move is complete, as was the case prior to May 2022, the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will again operate from separate, independent buildings. Departments that had been scattered both on and off premises due to space shortages during the building-sharing period will also return to their respective independent headquarters. The relocation budget for the Ministry of National Defense was set at 20.58 billion won in reserve funds, approved by the Cabinet in April. This includes 12.4 billion won for network construction such as networks, PCs, and conference room video equipment, 6.2 billion won for facility repairs, and 2 billion won for moving costs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.