Constitution Day, July 17, public holiday, National Assembly, South Korea, national holidays, legislative vote, constitutional commemoration

Jan 30, 2026, 11:04 am

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National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik (fifth from left), Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, Acting Constitutional Court President Kim Hyung-doo, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and other attendees sing the national anthem during the 77th Constitution Day ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 17 last year. Woo said the Constitution should be updated to meet the demands of the times and improve people’s lives. / Song Eui-joo

July 17, Constitution Day, is set to be reinstated as a public holiday starting this year after the National Assembly passed a related bill on Wednesday.

During a plenary session on Jan. 29, the National Assembly of South Korea approved a revision to the Act on Public Holidays that redesignates Constitution Day as an official holiday. The bill passed with 198 votes in favor, two against, and three abstentions out of 203 lawmakers present.

Once the amendment completes additional procedures, including Cabinet approval, Constitution Day will once again be observed as a public holiday.

With the change, all five of South Korea’s major national commemorative days will become public holidays: March 1 Independence Movement Day, July 17 Constitution Day, Aug. 15 Liberation Day, Oct. 3 National Foundation Day, and Oct. 9 Hangeul Day.

Constitution Day marks the promulgation of South Korea’s Constitution. Although it was previously a public holiday, it was removed from the calendar in 2008 amid the expansion of the five-day workweek and concerns over the burden on businesses.

#Constitution Day #July 17 #public holiday #National Assembly #South Korea