Celebrating Democracy: South Korea’s Constitution Day May Become a Public Holiday Again!

On Thursday, marking the 77th anniversary of South Korea’s Constitution, President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed his commitment to amending the Constitution, emphasizing the need for a citizen-centered approach.

In a Facebook post, Lee stated that a newly amended Constitution should honor the spirit of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising while expanding individual rights, enhancing local autonomy, and implementing power-limiting reforms. He declared that such a Constitution must serve as a guiding compass for South Korea’s future.

The liberal president also commended the public for navigating the recent political crisis, sparked by former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s December martial law declaration, within constitutional boundaries.

South Korea’s Constitution was last amended about four decades ago, with changes taking effect in 1987. This marked the ninth amendment since the country’s founding on August 15, 1948.

Later that day, during a meeting at his Seoul office, Lee instructed his staff to explore the possibility of reinstating Constitution Day as a public holiday.

For nearly two decades, Constitution Day (July 17) has been absent from South Korea’s list of public holidays. Lawmakers are now pushing to restore its status, highlighting the Constitution’s crucial role in safeguarding democracy.

Since Lee’s June 4 inauguration, Representatives Kwak Sang-eon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Kang Dae-sik of the opposition People Power Party have introduced bills to reinstate Constitution Day as a public holiday, following its 2008 removal.

On June 13, Kwak, along with nine lawmakers from three liberal parties, proposed the reinstatement, arguing it would boost the economy, ensure workers’ right to rest, and uphold constitutional values.

Kwak suggested amending the Public Holidays Act to grant South Koreans the day off.

Notably, Constitution Day is the only one of South Korea’s five national celebration days not designated as a public holiday.

On July 9, Kang and ten People Power Party members proposed a similar bill to amend the Public Holidays Act, emphasizing the need to reinstate Constitution Day.

South Korea enacted its first Constitution on July 17, 1949, designating the day as a holiday in 1950. However, the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration removed it from the public holiday list in 2008, citing productivity concerns following the 2004 introduction of the five-day workweek.

A recent National Assembly Research Service report reveals that lawmakers have introduced 17 bills since 2008 aimed at reinstating Constitution Day as a public holiday.

The report, released Monday, emphasized Constitution Day’s symbolic importance in safeguarding constitutional values, arguing for its reinstatement as a public holiday. It also called for a broader social consensus, given the potential socioeconomic impact of such a change on South Korea.