President Lee’s Korea Policy Daily

Gukmin Imyeongsik (People’s Appointment Ceremony) on Liberation Day: What Happens in Gwanghwamun? (August 15, 2025) Overview: What is the “People’s Appointment Ceremony”? The People’s Appointment Ceremony is an unprecedented national event where, instead of the traditional inauguration, citizens symbolically “appoint” the President. The name, Gukmin Imyeongsik in Korean, literally means “Citizen Appointment Ceremony,” emphasizing that sovereignty belongs to the people . The background traces back to June 4, 2025, when President Lee Jae-myung held a brief swearing-in ceremony at the National Assembly Rotunda without a large-scale inauguration. At the time, the government promised a later public event where “the President is appointed by the people,” and this Liberation Day evening in Gwanghwamun fulfills that pledge. Key Event Information 1) Date & Venue August 15, 2025 (Friday), starting at 8:00 PM in Gwanghwamun Square , Seoul. A large circular stag...

[Presidential Schedule] July 24, 2025 – Senior Secretary Meeting, Korea-Germany Summit Call, Korea-Uzbekistan Summit Call 📅 Overview Date: Thursday, July 24, 2025 Location: Presidential Office, Seoul Main Events: 14:00 – 5th Senior Secretary Meeting; 17:15 – Korea-Germany Summit Call; 18:00 – Korea-Uzbekistan Summit Call The day combined domestic policy coordination with high-level diplomacy spanning Europe and Central Asia. It demonstrated a leadership style that addresses internal governance and external strategy in the same day. 🕑 14:00 – 5th Senior Secretary Meeting This meeting gathers the President and senior aides to review key national issues. Each senior secretary reports on their respective domain, and the President sets policy direction and priorities. Likely topics included flood recovery measures, coordination of economic policy for the second half of the year, livelihood stabilization, and strategic planning for upcoming diplomati...

[Presidential Schedule] July 23, 2025 – Appointment Ceremony, Korea-Kazakhstan Summit Call, Korea-Sweden Summit Call 📅 Overview Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Location: Presidential Office, Seoul Main Events: 10:30 – Appointment & Commissioning Ceremony; 15:00 – Korea-Kazakhstan Summit Call; 17:00 – Korea-Sweden Summit Call This day saw a blend of domestic governance and high-level diplomacy. The morning focused on officially appointing and commissioning key government and committee figures, while the afternoon was dedicated to expanding Korea’s diplomatic and economic reach through summit calls with Kazakhstan and Sweden. 🕥 10:30 – Appointment & Commissioning Ceremony The ceremony is more than a formal handover—it underscores policy direction and accountability . The President likely addressed newly appointed ministers, vice ministers, and heads of major national committees, stressing policy priorities, public trust, anti-corruption measur...

July 22, 2025 – Presidential Schedule: Cabinet Meeting & Korea-Qatar Summit Call [Presidential Schedule] July 22, 2025 – 32nd Cabinet Meeting, Korea-Qatar Summit Call 📅 Overview Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025 Location: Presidential Office, Seoul Main Items: 10:00 – 32nd Cabinet Meeting; 18:00 – Korea-Qatar Summit Call This day combined two major functions of governance: domestic policy coordination via the Cabinet Meeting, and foreign policy advancement through direct summit-level communication with Qatar. The sequence underscored a balance between domestic governance and external strategic partnerships . 🕙 10:00 – 32nd Cabinet Meeting The Cabinet Meeting is the top deliberative and decision-making body of the Korean government, involving the President, Prime Minister, and Ministers. On this day, discussions likely included special disaster zone designations for recent flood-hit areas, budget allocations for emergency relief and recove...

[Presidential Schedule] July 21, 2025 – Weekly PM Briefing, Integrated Flood Response HQ Inspection, and Sancheong Recovery Site Visit Overview Date: Monday, July 21, 2025 Locations: Presidential Office (Seoul); Sancheong-eup, Gyeongsangnam-do Key Items: Weekly Prime Minister briefing; inspection of the Integrated Flood Response Headquarters; on-site review of recovery efforts in Sancheong-eup. This schedule centered on end-to-end disaster governance: high-level policy coordination in Seoul followed by immediate, field-based validation in a region hit by torrential rain. By combining a Cabinet‑level briefing with an on‑site inspection and community engagement, the administration emphasized speed, transparency, and practical support for affected residents. Detailed Timeline 12:00 — Weekly PM Briefing / Presidential Office A standing Monday session to coordinate cross‑government priorities. On this date, the focus was flood impacts, emergency rel...

[In-Depth] Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Kim Keon-hee: Background, Legal Reasoning & Political Fallout (August 13, 2025) This article synthesizes publicly reported information from Korean courts and major media. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 🔎 Quick Take Decision : The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Keon-hee late on Aug 12–early Aug 13 (KST), citing risk of evidence tampering as a central factor. Core charges (as reported) : Alleged violations of the Capital Markets Act (stock manipulation context), Political Funds Act , and brokerage for bribery (alleged influence‑peddling). Key controversy : Discrepancies in statements around a high‑value accessory (often referred to as a “NATO trip necklace”) reportedly weighed into the court’s assessment of preservation risk . Political temperature : Opposition lawmakers broadly welcomed the decision; the ruling party adopted a cautious...

Presidential Schedule – July 18, 2025: Heavy Rain Response Briefing On July 18, 2025 (KST) , President Lee Jae-myung chaired a Heavy Rain Response Briefing at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room . The meeting was called urgently as seasonal monsoon rains and localized downpours posed increasing flood and landslide risks nationwide. At a Glance 10:30 Heavy Rain Response Briefing / Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room Why this matters Rapid response is critical in heavy rain disasters — decisive action within the first 1–2 hours can significantly reduce damage. By personally leading the meeting, the President ensured that ministries and local governments provided real-time updates and received immediate instructions. Key areas reviewed Weather & water level forecasts: Data sharing from the Korea Meteorological Administration and K-water, early alerts for at-risk areas. Human safety: Evacuations from riverside and low-lying ar...

Presidential Schedule – July 17, 2025: Senior Staff Meeting, Korea–Türkiye Summit Call, Dinner with Speaker & Prime Minister On July 17, 2025 (KST) , President Lee Jae-myung engaged in a day of domestic and diplomatic activities. The afternoon began with the 4th Senior Staff Meeting at the Presidential Office, followed by a summit phone call with the President of Türkiye , and concluded with a dinner meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister at the Presidential Residence. At a Glance 14:00 4th Senior Staff Meeting / Presidential Office 18:00 Korea–Türkiye Summit Call / Presidential Office 18:30 Dinner with National Assembly Speaker & Prime Minister / Presidential Residence Senior Staff Meeting: The Control Tower of Governance The Senior Staff Meeting is where the President reviews major policies, legislative progress, and public sentiment reports with his closest advisers. Outcomes from these meetings often...