S. Korean PM proposes making August 17 temporary nat'l holiday
- 4 years ago
“8월 17일 임시공휴일 지정 검토”…수도권 공공 도서관·미술관 등 다시 운영
Those of us in South Korea might get an extra day off next month.
That's as it's now very likely that the government will make August 17th a national holiday just for this year as August 15th, Liberation Day, falls on a Saturday this year.
The move is anticipated to generate an uptick in domestic spending as cultural facilities in the capital area began reopening today.
Lee Kyung-eun has the details.
South Korean Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun has proposed making August 17th a temporary national holiday.
Chung said it is to boost the struggling local economy and people's livelihoods.
"It is to provide some relief for citizens and medical staff who've been exhausted by the situation,... as well as to help domestic consumption recover."
He added, that it is also partly to make up the number of national holidays this year, as there have been fewer than last year due to several holidays falling on the weekend.
The upcoming Liberation Day also lands on Saturday, August 15.
But by having a day off on Monday August 17th, people can enjoy a three-day break.
The country took similar measures back in 2015 during the MERS outbreak, designating August 14th as a temporary holiday, which generated over 1 billion U.S. dollars of economic benefits.
"The country could expect a similar effect this time, especially with the gradual reopening of cultural facilities in the capital region.
Here, Seoul Arts Center is one of the 19 venues that have officially opened on Monday."
Some of these places are welcoming visitors for the first time in about one and a half months,... but are strictly abiding by virus prevention measures - limiting capacity, implementing an electronic registration system, and making face masks mandatory. Ten major museums, including the National Museum of Korea, will only allow in 30 percent of their capacity, and visitors must make reservations in advance.
Eight major art facilities, including the Seoul Arts Center, are allowing up to 50 percent of their capacity.
These measures come as South Korea gears up to normalize "with coronavirus",... amid a seemingly stable local situation.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.
Those of us in South Korea might get an extra day off next month.
That's as it's now very likely that the government will make August 17th a national holiday just for this year as August 15th, Liberation Day, falls on a Saturday this year.
The move is anticipated to generate an uptick in domestic spending as cultural facilities in the capital area began reopening today.
Lee Kyung-eun has the details.
South Korean Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun has proposed making August 17th a temporary national holiday.
Chung said it is to boost the struggling local economy and people's livelihoods.
"It is to provide some relief for citizens and medical staff who've been exhausted by the situation,... as well as to help domestic consumption recover."
He added, that it is also partly to make up the number of national holidays this year, as there have been fewer than last year due to several holidays falling on the weekend.
The upcoming Liberation Day also lands on Saturday, August 15.
But by having a day off on Monday August 17th, people can enjoy a three-day break.
The country took similar measures back in 2015 during the MERS outbreak, designating August 14th as a temporary holiday, which generated over 1 billion U.S. dollars of economic benefits.
"The country could expect a similar effect this time, especially with the gradual reopening of cultural facilities in the capital region.
Here, Seoul Arts Center is one of the 19 venues that have officially opened on Monday."
Some of these places are welcoming visitors for the first time in about one and a half months,... but are strictly abiding by virus prevention measures - limiting capacity, implementing an electronic registration system, and making face masks mandatory. Ten major museums, including the National Museum of Korea, will only allow in 30 percent of their capacity, and visitors must make reservations in advance.
Eight major art facilities, including the Seoul Arts Center, are allowing up to 50 percent of their capacity.
These measures come as South Korea gears up to normalize "with coronavirus",... amid a seemingly stable local situation.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.