Lee, who took office in early June in the wake of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, was unable to immediately use the compound due to the need to enhance security and overhaul facilities and has been temporarily working at his predecessor's office in Yongsan.
The massive construction work is expected to take several months and be completed by the end of this year at the earliest, with visits and other tour programs remaining suspended during the period.
Ahead of Friday's complete closure, public access had already been limited since mid-July, allowing only those with bookings to look around outdoor areas, which prompted many to flock there, leading to a surge in the number of visitors.
Once complete, a partial reopening is up in the air, with no concrete details decided yet.
Nestled in the sylvan foothills of Mt. Bukak and surrounded by splendid gardens, the palatial compound was often seen as a symbol of excessive presidential power, with its secluded location creating the impression that presidents were distant from the public both physically and in other ways. That led Yoon to open the compound to the public on his first day in office and to hastily relocate his office to a nondescript government building in Yongsan in May 2022.
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