Claims of shamans and curses as South Korea’s president shuns official residence

Yoon Suk-yeol said the Blue House was a symbol of imperial power' but critics have highlighted costs and safety concerns

For decades, South Korea's presidents have begun their terms in office by acquainting themselves with the vast premises of the Blue House.

But on Tuesday, Yoon Suk-yeol became the first leader in the country's modern history to shun the presidential residence, heading instead to a new office inside a former defence ministry building in central Seoul.