July 17 Constitution Day, Will It Be a Holiday Again?... Bill for Re-designation of Public Holidays Introduced

[Financial News]  Recently, a bill has been introduced to re-designate 'Constitution Day (July 17)', one of the 5 major national holidays, as a public holiday. Previously, Arbor Day (except in 2006) and Hangul Day were excluded from public holidays in 1991 but were re-designated as public holidays from 2013.

On the 9th of this month, Kang Dae-sik of the People Power Party proposed the 'Partial Amendment to the Act on Public Holidays'. The main point of this amendment is to re-designate Constitution Day, the only one of the 5 major national holidays excluded from public holidays, and to apply alternative holidays if it overlaps with Saturday, Sunday, or another public holiday.

Constitution Day commemorates July 17, 1948, when the Constitution of the Republic of Korea was proclaimed. It was designated as an official national holiday along with Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, and March 1st Movement Day. However, in 2008, the Lee Myung-bak administration excluded Constitution Day from its status as a public holiday to increase corporate productivity. As the number of annual holidays increased with the spread of the 5-day workweek, some public holidays were adjusted due to concerns about corporate burden and productivity decline.

However, issues such as the fading of constitutional values, weakening of the meaning of national holidays, and decline in public awareness have been pointed out. Against this background, Representative Kang, who promoted the legislative amendment to re-designate Constitution Day as a public holiday, stated, "Constitution Day is a day that established the constitutional system of liberal democracy and has great historical symbolism. Designating it as a public holiday will be an opportunity for the public to reflect on the meaning of the Constitution and experience the values of democracy in their daily lives."

Meanwhile, the Bereaved Families Association of the Members of the Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Korea will hold a luncheon meeting with Speaker Woo Won-sik at the National Assembly Sarangjae on the 11th, ahead of the 77th anniversary of Constitution Day. This meeting is hosted by Speaker Woo to honor the members of the Constituent Assembly who established the national title and drafted the Constitution, and to comfort their bereaved families.


gaa1003@fnnews.com An Ga-eul Reporter