Lee appoints new prime minister, meets with former President Moon in unity gesture

President Lee Jae Myung presented an appointment certificate to newly confirmed Prime Minister Han Seong-suk on Wednesday, then sat down for a luncheon with former President Moon Jae-in.

Lee presented the certificate to Han at Cheong Wa Dae in the morning. Han bowed and said, "Thank you."

The National Assembly passed Han's confirmation bill the previous day under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee signed off on the appointment that same evening. The confirmation came 23 days after Lee nominated Han on June 7. Han becomes the Lee government's second prime minister and only the second woman to hold the post in South Korean history, after former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook.

Lee then held a luncheon with Moon — their first official meeting since Lee took office. The meeting had been in the works since shortly after Lee's inauguration but was repeatedly delayed by pressing state affairs and overseas trips before both sides' schedules finally aligned. No specific agenda was set, but the two exchanged views broadly on livelihood and economic issues, diplomacy and security, other state affairs, national unity, and the international situation.

The meeting also carried a message of harmony and reconciliation at a time when tensions have been simmering between pro-Lee and pro-Moon factions within the Democratic Party of Korea ahead of the party's Aug. 17 national convention.

The luncheon menu at Cheong Wa Dae was likewise chosen to reflect the themes of harmony and unity that both the current and former president have championed.

Cheong Wa Dae said the spread was built around summer stamina dishes prepared with Moon's fondness for seafood and fish in mind.

The menu included suranChae (a seafood salad), mung bean and chicken porridge, buckwheat and cabbage pancakes, John Dory pancakes, zucchini and shrimp pancakes, braised and grilled Hanwoo short ribs, bibimbap and croaker soup. Cheong Wa Dae said the suranChae was chosen with both Moon's love of seafood and Lee's roots in Andong in mind.

In addition, Lee announced that ministry briefings would be held from July 15 to July 21 and launched a recruitment drive for 200 members of the public to attend as observers.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, Lee said, "We are launching the first ministry briefing held together by the government and the people," adding, "We look forward to welcoming 200 citizen observers to join the ministry briefings of a government founded on people's sovereignty."

The briefings are intended to assess whether the policy commitments each ministry reported at last year's year-end briefings have been properly carried out, and to share progress and future plans on livelihood policies that people can feel in their daily lives.