Lee Jae Myung calls South Korean presidential office a ‘graveyard’ after shambolic handover of power

The newly sworn-in president of South Korea quipped on his first day in charge that the presidential office left behind by his ousted predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, felt like a “graveyard”, with not even a pencil left behind.

Lee Jae Myung took office on Wednesday after winning the snap presidential election with a significant margin over his rival Kim Moon Soo, riding a wave of anger after Mr Yoon’s 3 December attempt to impose martial law threw the country into chaos.

The new leader appeared baffled by the lack of preparation at the presidential office in the Yongsan district of Seoul after finding that it was stripped of computers, printers and even pens.

“I just came to the Yongsan office, and it’s like a graveyard. There’s nothing, not even an employee to give me something to write. No computers, or even printers,” he said in his inaugural address. “It's absolutely ridiculous.”

Kang Yu Jung, the new spokesperson for the president, said the office ceased functioning after Mr Yoon was impeached by parliament on 14 December and that it did not have any system in place to continue working in his absence.

Ms Kang added that the previous administration did not leave transition instructions for the incoming administration.

Mr Yoon moved out of the official presidential palace, known as the Blue House, after his election victory in 2022, becoming the first leader in the country’s modern history to shun the location. He took up a new office instead inside a former defence ministry building in Yongsan.

Mr Lee hinted on the campaign trail that he is likely to return to the Blue House, also known as Cheong Wa Dae, after renovations, and reportedly described the Yongsan residence as a security nightmare. The transition is likely to take up to six months.

He has instructed some officials who were working in the presidential office, but had gone back to their parent ministries or departments after Mr Yoon was impeached, to come back and resume their roles in his office, Ms Kang said.

Mr Lee has entered office in a country facing a number of challenges after Mr Yoon’s martial law bid left a deeply scarred and polarised country. The president will have to revive the economy and work with unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.

On Wednesday, Mr Lee announced his administration’s first key appointments. Kim Min Seok was appointed as the prime minister, and Kang Hoon Sik as chief of staff.

Mr Kim said the country was facing even more economic turmoil than during the Asian financial crisis of 1997, complicated by unfavourable external factors.

“Today, the economy is heading downward and stagnating, which is why I believe it’s much more difficult,” he told reporters.