With the Chuseok holiday 10 days away, attention is turning to whether the government will designate Monday, Sept. 28, the day after the break ends, as a temporary public holiday.
This year's Chuseok holiday runs three days, from Thursday, Sept. 24, through Saturday, Sept. 26. Adding Sunday, Sept. 27, brings the break to just four days. That is relatively short compared with last year, when National Foundation Day, Hangul Day, a weekend and a substitute holiday lined up to allow up to 10 consecutive days off for anyone taking a single day of annual leave on the Friday.
Because the final day of the Chuseok holiday falls on a Saturday, some argue that the following Monday, Sept. 28, should be designated a substitute holiday.
Under current rules on public holidays for government offices, however, a substitute holiday applies to Chuseok only when the holiday overlaps with a Sunday or another public holiday. This year's Chuseok holiday does not fall on a Sunday, so no substitute holiday arises on Sept. 28.
That means an extra day off on Sept. 28 would require the government to designate it as a separate temporary public holiday through a Cabinet meeting resolution. Over the past 11 years, the government has designated temporary public holidays seven times, citing reasons such as boosting domestic consumption and guaranteeing the public's right to rest.
The possibility is not entirely closed. In the past, temporary public holidays have been decided just before a break. The Aug. 14, 2015, temporary holiday was announced only 10 days in advance, and the May 6, 2016, temporary holiday eight days in advance.
Others expect the justification for designating Sept. 28 this year to fall short. Critics have repeatedly noted that temporary public holidays may drive demand for overseas travel rather than lift domestic spending.
Indeed, when a temporary public holiday created a six-day break during last year's Lunar New Year holiday, the number of people traveling abroad rose sharply. Departures totaled 2,972,916 that month, a record monthly high.
The burden on companies is another consideration. A sudden designation of Sept. 28, a weekday, as a public holiday could disrupt operations or reduce productivity, and could raise costs for companies through holiday pay. Dual-income households with young children may also worry about gaps in child care from an abrupt holiday.
Online reaction is split. Comments included "four days is about right," "the holiday is so short that it will all be spent traveling to and from my hometown," "there's also National Foundation Day and Hangul Day in early October, so we might as well just work," and "I really hope they give us one more day off."
As of now, the government is not officially reviewing a plan to designate Sept. 28 as a temporary public holiday. Barring a separate announcement, Sept. 28 will be a normal workday and school day.
