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Roundup: New South Korean president makes important appointments after swearing-in

Xinhua, May 10, 2017 Adjust font size:

Moon Jae-in was sworn in as new South Korean president on Wednesday and soon after an inaugural ceremony, he appointed new prime minister, intelligence agency chief, presidential chief of staff and chief of the presidential security.

Lee Nak-yon, an incumbent governor of South Jeolla province, was named as the first prime minister of the Moon government.

Lee, 65, is a former journalist who entered politics in 2000 and served as a four-term lawmaker.

He worked as spokesman for late liberal presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. He was elected in 2014 as the provincial governor.

The prime minister nominee will be subject to the parliamentary hearing, requiring a parliamentary ratification to take office.

Im Jong-seok, 51, was named as presidential chief of staff. He is a two-term lawmaker who served as chief of staff for Moon's campaign team in the presidential race.

Im is a famous student activist in 1980s who visited a students' festival held in 1989 in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

For the visit, he was jailed for three and a half years. Under the national security law, it is illegal to visit the DPRK without advance permission from the government.

He entered politics in 2000 by joining the New Millennium Democratic Party, a predecessor of the current ruling Minjoo Party, and was elected as the youngest lawmaker in the year.

Im also worked for Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon as vice mayor on political affairs.

The inaugural ceremony was held at a main hall of the parliamentary building, just hours after the election results were confirmed by the national election commission. Moon won a landslide victory in the country's presidential race.

Right after the confirmation, his presidential power came into force as he has no usual transition period because of the impeachment of his predecessor.

In a televised inaugural speech, Moon said he will be on the move for peace on the Korean Peninsula, vowing to visit Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), under right conditions.

The new leader vowed to sincerely consult with China and the United States to resolve the issue on the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system.

Part of the U.S. missile interception system has been transported to the THAAD deployment site in the country's southeastern region, causing strong protests from anti-THAAD activists and residents.

Moon argued for a parliamentary ratification and public consensus for the THAAD installation that can influence the South Korean society from diplomatic, security and economic perspectives.

Following the brief inauguration ceremony, Moon went on a motorcade from the National Assembly building to the presidential Blue House.

Moon said in the televised speech that he will eliminate the culture of an authoritative president, pledging to talk with ordinary people and communicate with people at any time.

Reiterating his campaign pledges, Moon said he will open "an era of Gwanghwamun presidency," referring to the square in central Seoul where people rallied against former President Park Geun-hye.

He vowed to become a president for all people regardless of whether they supported him or not in the election, saying he will resolutely remove wrong practices of the old era.

The imperial power of a president will be decentralized as much as possible, and agencies of power will be completely delinked from politics, Moon said, indicating a reform on the prosecution office.

Moon stressed the importance of cooperation with the opposition parties, meeting chiefs of the parties in the National Assembly before attending the inaugural ceremony.

Moon said at a meeting with the head of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party that he will cooperate with the opposition parties as partners for state management.

He also met with the centrist People's Party chief and with floor leaders of the conservative Righteous Party and the minor liberal Justice Party. Endit