President Lee Presents Letter of Appointment to Prime Minister Kim
Ceremony Held at Yongsan Presidential Office;
President Lee Emphasizes Transparency and Responsibility in State Affairs
On July 4, President Lee Jaemyung presented the letter of appointment to the new Prime Minister Kim Minseok at the Freedom Hall of the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul.
President Lee handed the appointment letter to Prime Minister Kim, saying, "I look forward to working with you," and extended his hand for a handshake. Prime Minister Kim shook hands with President Lee and bowed deeply. President Lee then presented a bouquet of flowers to Prime Minister Kim's wife, Lee Taerin, who was present at the ceremony. When Mrs. Lee received the bouquet and bowed nearly 90 degrees, President Lee remarked, "Please don't bow so much, or I'll look like a strange person," prompting laughter from those in attendance.
Mrs. Lee Taerin, wife of Prime Minister Kim Minseok, is bowing in greeting after receiving a bouquet from President Lee Jae Myung. Photo by KTV Imagine Capture
President Lee also presented letters of appointment in turn to Lee Hanju, Chairperson of the National Policy Planning Committee; Kang Hunsik, Presidential Chief of Staff; Wi Sunglak, Director of the National Security Office; Kim Yongbeom, Policy Chief; Lee Jongseok, Director of the National Intelligence Service; and Yoon Changryeol, Minister of Government Policy Coordination.
During the subsequent conversation, President Lee told Prime Minister Kim, "The fate of the country depends on how the Prime Minister performs," and asked, "Even before the ministers are appointed, please handle urgent affairs with the vice ministers." In response, Prime Minister Kim said, "I will become the 'dawn Prime Minister' and further accelerate the pace of state administration." President Lee then emphasized, "In national discussions and execution, both the process and procedures must be transparently disclosed," and added, "If there are any mistakes or errors in your duties, it is the duty of a public official to quickly acknowledge them, take measures, and assume responsibility." According to spokesperson Kang Yoojeong, some participants joked that "even though this is a conversation with spouses present, it feels no different from a work meeting."
President Lee Jae-myung is taking a commemorative photo after presenting the appointment letter to Prime Minister Kim Minseok at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 4th. On the right is Prime Minister Kim's wife, Lee Taerin. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Prime Minister Kim remarried Mrs. Lee, whom he met at church in 2019. On his first day in office last month on the 4th, President Lee nominated Kim as Prime Minister, and the National Assembly passed the Prime Minister's appointment motion on the 3rd, 29 days after the nomination. After receiving his appointment letter, Prime Minister Kim's first official activity was to meet with farmers' organizations protesting in front of the Presidential Office against the reappointment of Minister Song Miryung of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He then visited the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, to pay his respects at the Memorial Tower.
Prime Minister Kim will hold an inauguration ceremony next week, officially taking office as the first Prime Minister of the Lee Jaemyung administration and the 49th Prime Minister of South Korea.
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