The Presidential Office stated regarding the announcement that many conservative figures are expected to be absent from the 'National Appointing Ceremony' for President Lee Jae-myung on the 15th, "Wouldn't it be more meaningful to be together at a festive event?"
On the morning of the 14th, Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jeong noted during a briefing in Yongsan, "The National Appointing Ceremony is a place where the people celebrate the overcoming of illegal martial law and insurrection, where the people's sovereignty government is born, and where the president is appointed by the people themselves."
Earlier, the leadership of the People Power Party and the Reform Party, as well as former conservative presidents and first ladies, announced that they would not attend the National Appointing Ceremony. The People Power Party and the Reform Party raised concerns about former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and former lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang being included in the list for special pardons on Liberation Day, while former presidents reportedly cited health reasons for their absence. Consequently, this has led to evaluations of a 'half-appointed ceremony.'
Regarding the absence of conservative figures, Spokesperson Kang said, "Individuals may be unable to attend for personal reasons, health concerns, or various other reasons," while expressing disappointment over their absence.
The National Appointing Ceremony, which will take place on the 15th, will be held on a circular stage set up in the center of Gwanghwamun Square.
Eighty representatives of the people, consisting of individuals who have contributed to democracy, the economy, science and technology, culture, sports, and ordinary citizens, will sequentially place appointment letters written by them into a large cube. At the end, President Lee and his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, will ascend the stage and complete the 'Appointment of Light' by placing the letters with four representatives of the people.
The four representatives include ▲ Mok Jang-kyun, the son of the late independence activist Mok Yeon-wook, who stood in front of military vehicles trying to enter the National Assembly on the day of the emergency martial law on Dec. 3 last year; ▲ Lee Geok-jung, the director of the National Army Medical Center who treated Captain Seok Hae-kyun during the Cheonghae Unit's Aden Bay operation in 2011; ▲ Lee Yeon-soo, the representative of NC AI, who participated in government AI policy projects; and ▲ Heo Ga-young, the director who won first prize in the student category at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
In addition to the four, the list of 80 representatives of the people includes couples Yoo Chung-won and Kim Suk-jeong, who stood in front of military vehicles attempting to enter the National Assembly on the day of emergency martial law; Park Hang-seo, who served as the head coach of the South Korea-Japan World Cup team in 2002; Go player Lee Se-dol; and couples Kim Jun-young and Sa Gong-hye-ran, who gave birth to quintuplets through natural conception. The completed 'Appointment of Light' cube is scheduled to be moved to the Presidential Office for exhibition after the event.
The National Appointing Ceremony is expected to be attended by around 3,000 specially invited citizens, in addition to the 80 representatives of the people, including former President Moon Jae-in and his wife, the family of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, religious leaders, and figures from the political, economic, and labor sectors.
Spokesperson Kang stated, "We commemorate the birth of a people's sovereignty government that overcame illegal martial law and insurrection with the citizens, who are the protagonists and sovereigns of K-democracy, and this is a place where the people directly appoint the president as their loyal servant. I hope many citizens will participate and enjoy this festival that captures the wishes and hopes of the sovereigns."