Before the completion of the current main building, there was widespread concern that it was inappropriate for the president to use the residence once used by the Governor-General during the Japanese colonial era (1910-1945). Following such concerns, an advisory committee was set up during the Roh Tae Woo presidency to carry out the construction of a brand new presidential office and private residence.

The Main Building, which was subsequently completed in 1991, houses the private office of the President and other various function rooms.

The exterior design was based on the architectural techniques used in the construction of traditional wooden royal palaces. The hipped and gabled roof of the building is regarded as one of the most refined and attractive styles of Korean traditional architecture. It features lines converging at the crest of the roof in a triangle. The roof rises on a slant from the tip of eaves to join together at the crest of the roof, forming a hip.

The Main Building and its two annexes are covered with a total of 150,000 traditional Korean blue roof tiles (hence, the name "Blue House" is also commonly used when referring to Cheongwadae). The blue roof tiles are well known for their unique color and their outstanding durability. Following procedures similar to that of making fine pottery, they last for over 100 years and do not become discolored.

The interior of the building features modern amenities and facilities, striking a balance between efficiency, modernity and tradition.

The President's private office is located on the second floor. There are several function rooms and conference halls, including Jiphyeonsil where the president meets with his senior staff or at times holds summit meetings with other Heads of State. Other rooms include Inwangsil, a reception/dining hall and Baegaksil, a private dining hall for smaller meetings. Chungmoosil is used for press briefings following summit meetings or official dinners to honor foreign dignitaries. This is also where accredited ambassadors and heads of missions present their credentials to the president.