SEOUL –

Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans have thronged the Blue House in central Seoul in recent months to get their last glimpse of the historic compound before it is returned to official use as the home and office of the country's president.

Lee Jae-myung, who won a snap election on June 3, plans to move into the Blue House soon, and access to some buildings will be restricted from mid-July, the presidential office announced last week.

Former leader Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office in April after briefly declaring martial law, broke with decades of tradition by shifting his office and residence out of the compound and opening it to the public.