Worries about inconvenience abound as Yoon to return to private residence Friday

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Worries about inconvenience abound as Yoon to return to private residence Friday

Published: 10 Apr. 2025, 19:28

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

The Acrovista apartment complex in southern Seoul, where former President Yoon Suk Yeol previously lived and where he and wife Kim Keon Hee will return after leaving the presidential residence on April 10, is pictured on April 9. [NEWS1]

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, are set to leave the presidential residence in Hannam-dong in Yongsan District, central Seoul, at 5 p.m. Friday and return to their private home in Seocho District, southern Seoul, for the first time since his impeachment.

Residents of the Acrovista apartment complex, where Yoon lived for about six months after taking office in May 2022, have expressed concern over his return, citing expected inconveniences from security measures and potential protests.

“It’s inevitable that there will be discomfort,” one resident told the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, on Thursday.

Yoon and Kim are returning to Acrovista with their 11 dogs, which were raised at the presidential office.

Concerns regard the possibility that residents or acquaintances may be checked for security reasons when entering and exiting, and that areas may be controlled depending on the movements of Yoon or Kim.

Security officials from the Presidential Security Service are expected to stay as close as possible to Yoon’s residence. However, it has not yet been determined whether guards will be stationed inside the building, reportedly due to difficulties securing cooperation from the building’s management and residents.

A car enters the Acrovista apartment complex in Seocho District, southern Seoul, where former President Yoon Suk Yeol previously lived and where he and wife Kim Keon Hee will return after leaving the presidential residence on April 10, on April 9. [PARK JONG-SUH]

More inconvenience is expected because it seems unlikely that Yoon will be provided with a private elevator as he was when elected president.

“Back then, residents agreed to allocate an elevator for the president’s exclusive use, but I don’t think people are willing to do that now,” another resident said.

Under the Presidential Security Act, Yoon is entitled to security protection for up to 10 years after leaving office, even considering that he was removed from power through impeachment. The Presidential Security Service recently formed a dedicated security team for Yoon, led by a senior officer, and plans to operate with a staff of about 50.

On Wednesday morning, access to Acrovista was already tightly controlled. Security guards were stationed at the building’s entrances and regularly patrolled the premises.

“It’s stressful hearing the apartment’s name mentioned on the news every day,” said a 63-year-old resident who has lived at Acrovista for more than 10 years. “If Yoon really cares about the people, I hope he moves somewhere else. I don’t want to see this place turned into chaos with protests every weekend.”

“My friends at school keep joking, asking me when the former president is moving in, or if they’ll get to see him if they visit,” said a 15-year-old middle school student surnamed Lee. “I really hope no outsiders come here.”

For the past month, nine protests, both for and against Yoon, have been registered per day near the former president's private residence, according to the Seocho Police Precinct.

Far-right YouTuber Ahn Jung-kwon is planning a rally on Friday at 2 p.m. near Exit 8 of Seoul National University of Education Station in Seocho District, calling for Yoon to run in the next presidential election. Ahn had originally intended to hold the rally in front of Acrovista but changed locations due to a police ban, as the apartment complex is within 100 meters (109 yards) of the Seoul Central District Court, where demonstrations are prohibited by law.

“Watching the protests in front of the Constitutional Court, it seems that if people claim it’s a one-person protest, police have a hard time controlling it,” said another resident. “I’m already thinking I’ll have to leave home on weekends.”

“If several people claim to be staging one-person protests but are clearly gathered for the same purpose, we will consider it an illegal assembly and disperse them,” said a police official. “If they refuse, they could face punishment.”

A police car is parked outside the Acrovista apartment complex in southern Seoul, where former President Yoon Suk Yeol previously lived and where he and wife Kim Keon Hee will return after leaving the presidential residence on April 10. [NEWS1]

Some residents argue that Yoon should move to a detached house to minimize disruption.

All other former presidents have lived in private homes after leaving office. Former President Moon Jae-in, for example, moved from an apartment in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, to a private residence with security facilities in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, after retiring.

“It would be hard to endure living here if there are protests every day,” said a 43-year-old resident surnamed Yoo. “For both the residents and Yoon, moving to a detached house would be the best solution.”

“If the Presidential Security Service requests support after former President Yoon moves back to his private residence, we will mobilize police personnel accordingly to assist with his security,” said Park Hyun-soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said at a press briefing on Monday.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]