Anchor: With Tuesday’s snap presidential election in progress and the results expected in the early hours of Wednesday, preparations are underway for a simplified inauguration ceremony in parliament. Because the country has no incumbent president, the new president is to be sworn in right away with no transition period.
Choi You Sun has the details.

Report: The inauguration of the country’s 21st president is scheduled to take place at the National Assembly’s Rotunda Hall on Wednesday, the day after the election.

As this is a snap election triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the winner is expected to be sworn in at a simplified ceremony.

The event is expected to focus primarily on the presidential oath of office and forgo traditional elements such as the bell-ringing ceremony at Bosingak Pavilion, the military band parade and the artillery salute.

Former President Moon Jae-in, who replaced impeached President Park Geun-hye, took the oath in the Rotunda Hall on May 10, 2017, the day after the election.

While it is customary for a new president’s term in office to begin when the clock strikes 12 after the day the outgoing president’s term ends, there is no such transition period after a snap election.

The winner is confirmed during a plenary session of the National Election Commission(NEC), which is convened right after all the ballots are counted, and the NEC expects to convene that meeting between 7 and 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The 21st presidency will officially start the moment the head of the election watchdog taps the gavel, handing over all the inherent rights of a president to the new leader, including the right to command the nation’s armed forces.

The Presidential Security Service will also take over from the police and begin providing protection for the new president as soon as his term begins.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.