From Lee Gukjong to the Quintuplets Couple: Members of the National Representative Group Presenting Certificates to President Lee

80 Citizens Present Certificates of Appointment
Opposition Parties Strongly Object to the Ceremony

President Lee Jae Myung and First Lady Kim Hye Kyung are shouting "Banzai" with attendees at the 80th Liberation Day celebration held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on August 15, 2025. Photo by Presidential Office Press Photographers Group Yonhap News.

On the evening of August 15, marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, President Lee Jae Myung will attend a public participation event at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, where he will receive a certificate of appointment from the "National Representative Group." This event, held in a symbolic format in which the president is "directly appointed by the people," will be attended by a large number of dignitaries from the political and business sectors, approximately 3,500 citizens, and members of the diplomatic corps.

The event is titled the "National Appointment Ceremony." Unlike the traditional inauguration procedure in which the president is proclaimed as the head of state, this ceremony will see representatives from various sectors of society take the stage and present the certificate of appointment to the president. The event will be broadcast live on KBS starting at 8 p.m. on August 15.

The group of 80 representative citizens was selected to reflect diversity in age, occupation, region, and gender. Each of them will hang a certificate of appointment they personally wrote on a central installation on stage, completing a symbolic performance. In the final act, President Lee Jae Myung and his wife, Kim Hye Kyung, will jointly place the last certificate and light up the installation to conclude the ceremony.

Lee Gukjong, director of the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital, who has been active in the field of trauma surgery, is scheduled to take the stage with the president as the final act of the event. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

This event has drawn attention for featuring individuals with remarkable stories. Four people are scheduled to take the stage with the president in the final act: Mok Janggyun, the son of the late independence activist Mok Yeonuk; Lee Gukjong, director of the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital and a leading figure in trauma surgery; Lee Yeonsu, CEO of the AI company NC AI; and Hur Gayoung, a director who received an award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The National Representative Group also includes individuals with symbolic significance from various fields: a couple who naturally conceived quintuplets, a couple who stood in front of an armored vehicle during a protest under the military regime, and a village chief who led residents to safety during a wildfire, among others.

Former President Moon Jae In and his wife, the family of the late President Roh Moo Hyun, and religious leaders were also invited. Invitations were sent to former presidents Lee Myung Bak and Park Geun Hye, as well as to the spouses of former presidents Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae Woo, but all declined to attend, citing health and other reasons.

Seoul Gwanghwamun Square bustling with preparations for Liberation Day event and national appointment ceremony Photo by Yonhap News

An official from the presidential office stated, "This event marks the first step in realizing the Lee Jae Myung administration's philosophy of people-centered sovereignty, integration, and participation," adding, "It reflects the president's commitment to communicating directly with the public and managing state affairs from the people's perspective throughout his term."

At the end of the event, President Lee is expected to express his determination by stating, "I solemnly accept the responsibility entrusted to me by the people and will dedicate myself as a diligent public servant."

However, political reactions have been mixed. The opposition People Power Party decided not to attend the event, with interim leader Song Eon Seok stating, "Liberation Day is a day to commemorate history and the independence movement, not a day for the president to take center stage," expressing a critical stance.