President Lee Receives the "Certificate of Light" from 80 National Representatives
President Lee: "I Will Trust Only the People and Move Forward Boldly"
Cheers of "Lee Jae Myung" as the President Takes the Podium
Over 3,000 Specially Invite
President Lee Jae-myung received the "Certificate of Light" at the National Appointment Ceremony, which was held in conjunction with Liberation Day. Wearing a white necktie symbolizing his intention to "embrace everything," President Lee expressed his gratitude and emphasized national sovereignty. As he took the stage with the "Certificate of Light" installation as a backdrop, some in the audience chanted "Lee Jae-myung." After receiving the certificate from representatives of the people, President Lee read a "Letter to the People," declaring, "As a faithful servant of the sovereign people of the Republic of Korea, I will move forward with unwavering trust in the people, striving toward a nation where the people are the true owners and a country where the people are happy."
The 21st Presidential National Appointment Ceremony, titled "80 Years of Liberation, Building the Future with National Sovereignty," was held on August 15 at Gwanghwamun Square on Sejong-daero, Seoul, exactly 72 days after President Lee's inauguration. On June 4, his inauguration day, President Lee held only a small swearing-in ceremony at the National Assembly, inviting a limited number of guests and foregoing a separate inauguration event. This decision was made in light of the need to immediately begin his duties without a transition committee, due to the early presidential election. Although there were plans to hold a national appointment ceremony with the character of an inauguration on Constitution Day, July 17, these were canceled due to the response to the heatwave and heavy rains.
Prior to the main ceremony, various cultural and artistic performances took place at the venue. These included traditional and contemporary percussion parades set to the song "Haeya," performances by traditional music groups and percussionists, a dance troupe, a commemorative song by the project group "Todayya" celebrating 80 years since liberation, a cheerleading performance, and a song by singer Lee Eun-mi.
After the first part of the cultural performances, President Lee, wearing a white necktie, entered the venue with First Lady Kim Hye-kyung. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung explained that the white necktie "symbolizes embracing everything with a blank slate and making a fresh start." Following the president's entrance, Kim Hae-in, head of the rescue team at Uljin Maritime Police Station, Jang Eung-pyo, a senior in environmental engineering at Keimyung University, and Kim Jun-young and Sagong Hye-ran, parents of quintuplets, took the stage to share their experiences and challenges with the president, first lady, and audience.
President Lee Receives "Certificate of Light" from 80 National Representatives
The main event, the National Appointment Ceremony, began as 80 pre-selected national representatives took the stage holding certificates to present to President Lee, accompanied by a children's choir. The 80 representatives were composed of individuals who have made achievements in democracy, economic growth, science and technology, and culture since liberation, as well as ordinary citizens. The wording of the certificates was personally written by the selected representatives, reflecting their hopes for the president. These certificates were placed in a large cube on stage.
President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are receiving the "Certificate of Light" from Dr. Lee Guk-jong, director of the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital and representative of the people, at the 21st Presidential National Appointment Ceremony titled "80 Years of Liberation, Building the Future with People's Sovereignty" held on the 15th at Gwanghwamun Square on Sejong-daero, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
President Lee, appearing on stage, received certificates directly from four of the 80 national representatives. The four included Mok Jang-gyun, born on August 15, 1945, the son of independence activist Mok Yeon-uk and a "Liberation Baby"; Lee Guk-jong, director of the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital; Lee Yeon-soo, CEO of NC AI, a company participating in the AI foundation model project; and Heo Ga-young, who became the first Korean to win first prize in the student section at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
When President Lee placed the final certificate, the cube was illuminated, completing the "Certificate of Light." As he took the podium to give his thanks, chants of "Lee Jae-myung" arose from the crowd.
President Lee: "With Trust Only in the People, I Will Move Straight Toward a Nation Where the People Are the Owners"
After receiving the national appointment certificate, President Lee read a "Letter to the People," stating, "As the 21st President, I, Lee Jae-myung, will move forward with unwavering trust in the people, as a faithful servant of the sovereign people of Korea, striving for a nation where the people are the true owners and a country where the people are happy." He emphasized "national sovereignty" as the highest value of his administration. President Lee said, "It is an infinite honor to receive this certificate, but I also feel an equally immense sense of responsibility," pledging to place the aspirations of citizens, which erupted in the squares last winter, at the heart of national governance.
In his message of thanks, President Lee highlighted "the happiness of the people" and "the capabilities of the people" as the core of his governing philosophy. He stated, "The capability of the people is the capability of the nation," and added, "The prosperity of the people is the path to the prosperity of Korea." He continued, "Nurturing the potential and capabilities of the people is the driving force of national development, and as each of our 52 million citizens becomes happier, our national power grows." He concluded, "In a nation where the people are the true owners and where all citizens share in that power, it will be the great people who stand at the center of every future we imagine and dream of."
He also pledged strong support for businesspeople and those in science and technology. Emphasizing the role of entrepreneurs who have responded to crises with challenges, President Lee said, "We will support free growth so that Korean companies can compete confidently on the world stage." At the same time, he identified science and technology as the key to preparing for the future, stating, "We will provide steadfast support so that those preparing the country's future through science and technology can focus solely on innovation." Regarding culture and sports, he added, "The 'great power of culture' longed for by our forebears is no longer just a dream. We will give wings to that dream."
Finally, President Lee said, "The adversity before us now is unprecedentedly steep, but compared to the many crises we have overcome, it is not insurmountable." He urged, "Let us overcome the current crisis with united strength and pass on an even more glorious and radiant homeland." He concluded, "I am endlessly proud to be appointed as President of the Republic of Korea, a nation rebuilt by the great people of Korea."
Former President Moon and Family of Roh Attend... Conservatives Absent
In addition to the 80 national representatives, about 3,000 citizens were specially invited to the National Appointment Ceremony. Attendees included former President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook, the family of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, leaders of religious orders, and representatives from politics, business, and labor. An additional 3,500 citizens were invited via online lottery. The total number of people at the event, including uninvited citizens who attended, was estimated at around 10,000.
President Lee Jae-myung is greeting former President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook at the 21st Presidential National Appointment Ceremony held on the 15th at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
However, former presidents and other conservative figures were largely absent. The presidential office sent invitations to former President Lee Myung-bak and his wife, former President Park Geun-hye, and the widows of former Presidents Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-hwan, Kim Ok-sook and Lee Soon-ja, but none attended. Former President Lee conveyed that he could not attend due to difficulty sitting outdoors for long periods, and former President Park is said to have replied that her health issues make long-distance travel difficult.
Conservative opposition parties also announced their non-attendance in advance. Song Eon-seok, acting chairman of the People Power Party's emergency committee, stated at a meeting on August 14 at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, "We will not attend President Lee's self-coronation." Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, and Chun Ha-ram, floor leader, also decided not to attend in protest of the Liberation Day special pardon for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, former leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party.
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