South Korean President Lee receives letter of appointment from the people - Unusual event replacing inauguration ceremony emphasizes ”national sovereignty”

The "National Inauguration Ceremony" for South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on the evening of the 15th of this month. Lee was elected in the presidential election held on June 3rd of this year.
He was inaugurated as president on the following day, the 4th. Normally, after winning the presidential election, an inauguration ceremony is held after a transition period from the previous administration, and the person officially becomes president. However, Lee, like the previous president, Yoon Seok-yeol,
The president was impeached in the middle of his term, and he was elected in the presidential election that followed, so he took over the government from the day after the election. There was no inauguration ceremony. The 15th was an event to replace it.
The appointment ceremony was held and a representative of the people presented Lee with a letter of appointment. The biggest issue in the presidential election in June was the evaluation of the Yoon administration, which declared "emergency martial law" in December last year. Lee declared "emergency martial law"
He characterized the People Power Party, the ruling party at the time that supported former President Yoon who declared that he would not allow guns to be fired, as a "force of insurrection," and emphasized during the election campaign that "this election will be a trial of the forces of insurrection that tried to destroy the constitutional order."
"I will create a country where military coups that speak out against us will not be repeated," he said. He also pledged to restore civilian life, foster AI-related industries, and provide employment support for young people.
During the election period, Lee maintained a lead in the support ratings of candidates published by various polling companies, and advanced in the election campaign with an advantage. In order to counter Lee, conservatives supported Kim Moon of the People Power Party.
Attempts were made to unite Lee Jae-myung, the candidate of the New Reform Party, with Lee Jun-seok, but the results were unsuccessful. After the votes were counted, Lee Jae-myung was elected and became the 21st president.
This marks the first time in 10 years that a progressive government has been formed. When Lee was elected, he told his supporters, "I respect the great decision of the people. I will do my best to fulfill the great responsibility and mission that has been given to me and not let down their expectations."
Since taking office, Lee has been running the government with a "quick decision-making" approach, including quickly selecting cabinet ministers.
He was invited to attend the G7 Summit, marking his early diplomatic debut. During his stay, he discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including the economy, with leaders from nine countries and regions.
He also held the first Japan-South Korea summit meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru. He also set out to improve relations with North Korea, which had cooled under the previous administration, and used a loudspeaker installed near the North-South military demarcation line to revise the previous administration's propaganda directed at North Korea.
The broadcast was suspended, and this month the speakers themselves were removed. So far, North Korea has not responded well to these measures, but the Lee administration hopes that by taking these conciliatory measures it can strengthen its relationship with North Korea.
On the 15th of this month, about two months after his inauguration, Lee's "National Inauguration Ceremony" was held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. The official name of the ceremony was "80 Years of Liberation, National Sovereignty"
On the same day, South Korea celebrated Liberation Day, the anniversary of its liberation from Japanese colonial rule. The appointment ceremony was held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the country's liberation, with 80 representatives of the people presenting their appointment letters, each with their own wishes, to the president.
The ceremony was held in the form of awarding the award to Lee. The representatives of the people were selected from people who have made achievements in various fields and citizens who have dedicated themselves to social service. The appointment ceremony was attended by approximately 10,000 people, including ordinary citizens. Lee addressed the audience,
He read out a "Letter Dedicated to All the People" and stated, "As a loyal worker for the people, I will believe only in the people and move forward toward a country where the people are the masters and where the people are happy."
The appointment ceremony, held as an unusual alternative to an inauguration ceremony, gave Lee an opportunity to demonstrate to the public that his administration is open to the public.
In an editorial dated the 14th, the newspaper said, "Various controversies have arisen since the planning stage for the presidential inauguration ceremony on Liberation Day. There are concerns that the original meaning of the ceremony, which is to share the joy of celebrating the 90th anniversary of the country's recapture, will be lost."
"The reason why President Lee Jae-myung chose to hold the inauguration ceremony on the 80th anniversary of liberation is because he wants his inauguration to be one of the historic events in modern Korean history.
"This is because," he explained.