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Gov't designates Jan. 27 as temporary public holiday

Published: 08 Jan. 2025, 09:59 Updated: 08 Jan. 2025, 13:15

LEE TAE-HEE
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SEO JI-EUN
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Acting President Choi Sang-mok, center, speaks during a meeting between government officials and conservative party lawmakers at the National Assembly on Jan. 8. [YONHAP]

The government has designated Jan. 27, the day before this year's Lunar New Year holiday, as a temporary public holiday.

The government and the conservative People Power Party (PPP) approved the designation during a meeting on Wednesday to "stimulate domestic spending and boost tourism during the Lunar New Year period."

With the addition of Jan. 27, people will be able to enjoy six consecutive days off — from the weekend of Jan. 25 to 26 through the Lunar New Year holiday on Jan. 28 to 30.

"We expect [the extended break] will provide more opportunities for rest and help improve the quality of life of the public," said PPP Rep. Kim Sang-hoon, the party's top policymaker.

He also said that lengthening the holiday could help ease traffic congestion and pledged to ensure that no citizens are excluded from the benefits of the temporary public holiday.

Seollal, or Lunar New Year’s Day, is one of the country’s two biggest holidays along with Chuseok in autumn. Many Koreans take this time to return to their hometowns for ancestral rites and to spend time with family.

BY LEE TAE-HEE, SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]