The new President of South Korea begins his term from the bunker at midnight

From 0:00 on May 10, the new President Korea Yoon Suk-yeol has begun his 5-year term in an underground bunker at the new presidential office building in Yongsan district, Seoul capital. This bunker will serve as the situation room of the National Center for Crisis Control.

At that time, Mr. Yoon received a call to report on military operations and combat readiness from the Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as Commander-in-Chief.

According to the company Yonhapformer South Korean Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye received information from JCS at midnight, while Mr. Moon Jae-in received information in the morning.

New President Yoon Suk-yeol salutes upon receiving a report from the military in the bunker of the new president’s office in Yongsan district, Seoul, May 10. Photo: Yonhap

The aforementioned briefing was attended by top security officials, including National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han and candidate for Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup.

Outgoing Defense Minister Sug Wook, JCS Chairman Won In-choul and many senior South Korean military officers connected via videoconference from the JCS command center. JCS Chairman Won In-choul briefed Mr. Yoon on North Korea’s military activities and South Korea’s military readiness.

The National Security Office of the President of South Korea said, “President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed his appreciation for the hard work of the military, which is devoting day and night to protect the territory and protect lives. and assets of the people, while emphasizing that they always maintain a firm military readiness.”

A statement from the Office of National Security read: “President Yoon said he would ensure command of the military as president and called on the military to establish a strict and loyal command system. with their appropriate duties”.

Mr. Yoon met with supporters in Seoul in March. Photo: Reuters

In addition, a bell-ringing ceremony was held at midnight in downtown Seoul to mark the beginning of Mr. Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration. Twenty representatives selected from the public, including naturalized citizens, scientists and North Korean defectors, rang the bell 33 times at the Bosingak bell tower in Jongno district, Seoul.

Before the bell-ringing ceremony, various cultural events were held to celebrate the founding of the new government in Korea.

On the morning of May 10, Mr. Yoon visited Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, then attended the official inauguration ceremony at 11 a.m. More than 40,000 people are expected to attend the inauguration, including foreign guests such as Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan and Mr. Douglas Emhoff – husband of US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mr. Yoon will give a speech around keywords such as freedom, human rights, markets, justice and solidarity, as Korea struggles to cope with economic challenges caused by the pandemic, war war in Ukraine, inflation.

The issue of economic security and North Korea is likely to become the first agenda item between Yoon and US President Joe Biden in Seoul on May 21.