President Lee Jae-myung Receives Certificates of Appointment from 80 Representatives of the People at the Liberation Day 'People's Appointment Ceremony'

On August 15, President Lee Jae-myung will attend an unprecedented event called the 'People's Appointment Ceremony' held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, where he will receive certificates of appointment from 80 representatives of the people. This event is organized in a format where the president is directly appointed by the citizens and marks the first large-scale citizen participation event since President Lee's inauguration.

According to the presidential office, President Lee is scheduled to attend the 21st President's People's Appointment Ceremony at Gwanghwamun Square at 8 PM on the 15th.

The event, held under the theme "80 Years of Liberation, Building the Future with Popular Sovereignty," is expected to be attended by key national figures, the diplomatic corps in South Korea, and representatives from various sectors such as politics, economy, society, culture, arts, sports, science and technology, education, labor, women, and industry.

The ceremony will be broadcast live by KBS from 8 PM, and 3,500 citizens who applied in advance through the internet will also be present at the venue. The 80 representatives of the people have been selected to reflect a diverse range of ages, social classes, and genders, and they will create a special moment by coming up on stage to present the certificates of appointment to the president.

Prominent Figures Included in the Representative Group

The representative group includes symbolic figures from various fields. Notable participants consist of Mok Jang-kyun, the son of the late independence activist Mok Yeon-wook, Lee Guk-jong, head of the National Medical Center, Lee Yeon-soo, CEO of NC AI, and director Huh Ga-young, among others.

Additionally, a couple who bravely blocked military vehicles during martial law, as well as a couple who famously gave birth to quintuplets through natural conception, are also part of the representative group, signifying their meaningful contributions to society.

These individuals were selected as symbols of Korea’s history and development in their respective fields.

The appointment ceremony will be conducted in a unique manner. The 80 representatives of the people will sequentially place their individually written appointment certificates onto a large cube, and finally, the president and the first lady will complete it by placing their certificates.

At the moment the certificates are completed, the stage will be illuminated, and President Lee is expected to express gratitude, stating, “I will serve the citizens more diligently as a loyal servant of the sovereign people of the Republic of Korea.”

A First Step Toward the Era of Unity, but the Opposition Boycotts

Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife, the family of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, religious leaders, and key figures from various sectors will also attend this event.

Former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, along with the spouses of the late Presidents Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-hwan, have also been invited but have declined to attend due to health reasons.

The People's Appointment Ceremony is evaluated as the first stage implementing the commitment made by President Lee after his inauguration to “end the era of division and conflict and move toward an era of unity.”

In the five-year national agenda announced by the National Planning Commission, which serves as the transition committee for the Lee Jae-myung government, “listening and integration” was presented as a core principle.

However, the opposition leadership has decided to boycott the event.

Song Eon-seok, the emergency response committee chairman of the People Power Party, criticized, “Liberation Day is a day for independent merit holders; if the president is to receive the people's appointment, aren't they merely a folding screen?” raising questions about the purpose of the ceremony.

Image Sources: On August 14, a day before the 80th Liberation Day, children visiting the Seodaemun Prison History Hall are taking commemorative photos against a backdrop of banners depicting independence activists. 2025.8.14/News1, President Lee Jae-myung and Kim Hye-kyung sang the national anthem at the inauguration ceremony of the 21st President held in the rotunda hall of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 4. 2025.6.4/News1, a lighting performance was held at the “We Are the Light” event marking the eve of Liberation Day at the Heungnyeon Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace on the afternoon of the 14th. The theme "We Are the Light" conveys that all citizens who have built South Korea over the past 80 years are themselves "light," and the intention is to illuminate the next 80 years together. 2025.8.14/News1, members of the party, including Song Eon-seok, emergency response committee chairman and floor leader, are chanting slogans at an emergency general meeting held at the People Power Party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 14th. (Joint coverage) 2025.8.14/News1