The government plans to turn the former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae into a multicultural complex that combines various forms of art after successfully opening the facility to the public in May.

Culture minister Park Bo-gyoon briefed the top office on the plan on Thursday, saying that the ministry will transform the space into a landmark that embraces art, nature and history.

Utilizing cultural assets including over 600 works of art, 50-thousand trees and traces of past presidents, the former presidential office will be remodeled into an art complex, an arboretum and a historical site.

Park said that the ministry will work with civilian experts on planning and operation to ensure a transformation that harmonizes conservation and exhibition.

The main building of Cheong Wa Dae and the presidential residence will be used as a permanent art exhibition hall, a move referential to the Palace of Versailles in France, where history and art are harmonized.