Visitors on May 10 look around the reopened former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae.

By Jung Joo-ri and Yoon Hee Young

Photos = Yonhap News

Cheong Wa Dae on May 10 was reopened to the public for the first time in 74 years.

The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) at 11 a.m. held the inauguration ceremony for the reopening at the presidential compound's main gate across Shinmumun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace and allowed general visitor entry from 11:37 a.m.

As the new administration relocated the presidential office to Seoul's Yongsan-gu District, the compound has been fully opened to the public.

Starting with a congratulatory performance under the theme "Our Pledge" to give Cheong Wa Dae back to the people, the ceremony featured a parade symbolizing the "resonance of hope."

After commemorative events were held, select visitors who made reservations entered the site, with 74 civic representatives holding apricot flowers in the front.

The number 74 was chosen to symbolize the compound's 74 years of housing the presidential office and residence since the Republic of Korea's establishment in 1948.

The number of visitors on opening day was an estimated 26,000, all of whom made reservations.

In addition to the main office building, state guesthouse Yeongbingwan and main garden Nokjiwon opened earlier, visitors could also enter other facilities such as the official presidential residence and Chimnyugak Pavilion. The site also features "Stone Buddha Seated on a Square Pedestal in Gyeongju," a leading Buddha statue from the ninth century during the Unified Silla period, and Ounjeong Pavilion.

Exploring the entire site takes between 90 minutes and two hours.

To mark the reopening, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of CHA and Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation held the Palace Culture Festival featuring performances and events including nongak (traditional farmer's music), jultagi (tightrope dancing) and a fusion musical performance at the large garden, Nokjiwon and Chilgung Palace or in front of the media center Chunchugwan and Yeongbingwan.

This is the first time for a festival to include the presidential compound.

The hiking trail from Cheong Wa Dae to Bugaksan Mountain has also been opened to the public. The inauguration ceremony for the Bugaksan trail began at 6:30 a.m. at Chunchumun Gate, after which two tour courses starting from the western back alley of Chilgung and the eastern back alley of Chunchugwan began at 7 a.m.

This is the first time in 54 years that the trail was opened to the public since 1968, when a raid on the presidential compound was carried out by 31 armed North Korean commandos during the Park Chung-hee administration.

During the Joseon Dynasty, the Cheong Wa Dae site was used as the rear garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace. During Japanese colonial rule of Korea (1910-45), the garden was replaced by the official residence of the Japanese governor-general and later by the presidential residence after the Republic of Korea was established on Aug. 15, 1948.

The republic's first leader, President Rhee Syngman, named the site Gyeongmudae and the name "Cheong Wa Dae" was chosen after the inauguration of President Yun Bo-seon.

Through the end of the site's opening events period on May 22, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will deploy more subway cars for the subway stations closest to Cheong Wa Dae, namely Anguk (Seoul Metro Line 3) and Gwanghwamun (Line 5). City bus routes will also circle the area over the same time frame.

The hiking trail from Cheong Wa Dae to Bugaksan Mountain is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone can visit without a reservation.