Substitute Holidays Apply to 'Rest National Holidays'... Christmas and Buddha's Birthday Excluded

Ministry of Personnel Management Expands Substitute Holidays for 'Public Holidays on National Foundation Days'
This Year, the Monday Following Gwangbokjeol, Gaecheonjeol, and Hangeul Day Will Also Be a 'Red Day' Effect

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] This year, when Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, and Hangul Day fall on weekends, the following Monday will be designated as a "red day (public holiday)." Similarly, if March 1st Movement Day falls on a weekend in the future, the following Monday will also be a holiday. However, Christmas and Buddha’s Birthday, which are public holidays but not national holidays, are excluded from the substitute holiday system.

The Ministry of Personnel Management announced on the 15th that it will publicly notify the amendment to the "Regulations on Public Holidays of Government Offices" on the 16th, based on these details.

The Ministry of Personnel Management explained, "This amendment is a follow-up measure to the Public Holiday Act promulgated on the 7th, comprehensively reflecting the guarantee of citizens' right to rest through the expansion of substitute holidays and the burden on management, including small and medium-sized enterprises."

On the 19th, Buddha's Birthday, with daytime temperatures in Seoul reaching 27 degrees Celsius, resembling early summer weather, citizens visiting Cheonggyecheon in Seoul are enjoying their holiday in the shade. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

This amendment institutionalizes the expansion of substitute holidays for the four national holidays: March 1st Movement Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, and Hangul Day.

The Ministry of Personnel Management explained, "Out of the total 15 public holidays, substitute holidays, which were previously applied to 7 days including Lunar New Year, Chuseok holidays, and Children’s Day, will now be additionally applied to 4 national holidays, increasing the total to 11 days." A special provision was made to apply substitute holidays to the three national holidays?Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, and Hangul Day?that fall on Saturdays or Sundays in the second half of this year.

The Ministry of Personnel Management stated, "If necessary, the government can designate temporary holidays through a resolution of the State Council, and the procedures within the Regulations on Public Holidays of Government Offices have been clarified." They added, "The number of substitute holidays for this year was decided to be three, based on legal grounds and reasons."

The Ministry of Personnel Management said, "When the Public Holiday Act was enacted, the flexible operation of substitute holidays was delegated to the Presidential Decree. After consultations among related ministries such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and gathering opinions from related organizations, it was reviewed and decided to apply substitute holidays only to national holidays that are public holidays."

The Ministry of Personnel Management added, "Considering not only the citizens' right to rest but also the burden on small and medium-sized enterprises and the impact on the economy comprehensively, it was decided to apply substitute holidays only to national holidays this year as well, the same as next year."