Seoul, Jan 4 (IANS): Cultural relics presumed to belong to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) were found in the former South Korean presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul, the cultural heritage authority said on Tuesday.

The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) unveiled the result of its four-month preliminary survey of the site, commissioned to a private association for architectural history, reports Yonhap News Agency.

In the survey intended to confirm the historical value of the site, and devise ways to preserve and manage it in an organised way, researchers discovered relics presumed to be from the Goryeo and Joseon (1392-1910) periods at a total of eight locations, the CHA said.

Historians say there was a secondary palace of Seoul, which was called Namgyeong (Southern capital) by the ruling class of Goryeo based in today's Kaesong in North Korea, at the site.

During the Joseon Dynasty, the site was used as a rear garden of the main Gyeongbok Palace.

Among the relics discovered were pieces of earthenware and tile from the two periods.

Squared stones engraved with Chinese letters were also found at the bottom of the fence of the Cheong Wa Dae compound, whose location was found to be identical to that of the fence of the Joseon-era rear garden.

Researchers said they need to perform a close examination to unearth more relics possibly buried in the area.

In modern-day Korea, Cheong Wa Dae was the site of the presidential office and residence for over seven decades before President Yoon Suk-yeol relocated his office to Seoul's Yongsan area in May last year as a way to get closer to the people.

Since then, Cheong Wa Dae has been open to the public, drawing about 2.7 million visitors so far.