[Yoon President Inauguration] Yoon "I will make a country where the people are the true owners" (Update)

Former Prosecutor General, Non-Politician... "Anti-Intellectualism Oppressing with Majority Power Puts Us in Crisis"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Seok-yeol was inaugurated as the 20th president on the 10th. He is the first president in constitutional history to come from the position of Prosecutor General and the first non-politician president who has not served as a member of the National Assembly.

At the inauguration ceremony held at 11 a.m. in the front yard of the National Assembly, President Yoon declared, "Based on the values of freedom, human rights, fairness, and solidarity, we will surely build a country where the people are the true owners."

President Yoon, who appeared with his wife Kim Keon-hee for the main event of the inauguration, walked 180 meters from the front gate of the National Assembly to the main building. The inauguration ceremony was conducted with President Yoon taking the oath of office and delivering his inaugural address. In his speech, President Yoon said, "I stand here with the historic mission to rebuild this country as a nation where the people are the true owners based on liberal democracy and a market economy system, and to make it a country that fulfills its responsibilities and roles in the international community."

President Yoon emphasized freedom and the market economy. He stated, "We must properly and accurately recognize the value of freedom," adding, "Prosperity, abundance, and economic growth are the expansion of freedom."

He also made remarks seemingly aware of the overwhelming opposition-majority National Assembly. President Yoon said, "Anti-intellectualism, which suppresses opposing opinions by the power of the majority, endangers democracy," citing anti-intellectualism as the cause of low growth, large-scale unemployment, deepening polarization, and the weakening and disintegration of community cohesion.

Additionally, for peace on the Korean Peninsula, he said, "I will keep the door to dialogue open." President Yoon emphasized, "If North Korea stops nuclear development and transitions to practical denuclearization, we will prepare a bold plan to cooperate with the international community to dramatically improve North Korea's economy and the quality of life of its people."

Before the inauguration ceremony, at midnight on the same day, President Yoon officially began his duties by receiving a report from the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the National Crisis Management Center (underground bunker) located in the basement of the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. By being the first to receive the military readiness status through the national command communication network, he exercised his military command authority.

At this occasion, President Yoon requested, "Please maintain a firm military readiness posture during this critical security situation on the Korean Peninsula," and added, "As president, I will guarantee the military's command authority, and the military should establish a strict command system and faithfully carry out its fundamental duties."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.