Constitution Day in South Korea takes place on July 17th each year. It celebrates the exact day that the Korean Constitution was put in effect since 1948. The decision to make this day the chosen day for this holiday came three years after the defeat of Japan in World War II as well as after the elections and when the members of the national assembly were selected.
Soon after all of this took place including the announcement of Constitution Day, on August 18th, the First Republic of Korea was formally launched.
The laws on public holidays in South Korea was agreed upon in October 1948 and that is the same time that July 17th became the designated holiday for Constitution Day in South Korea.
The main attraction during Constitution Day does not include any particular festivities, but citizens usually participate in marathons. They run the long distance race on the streets of South Korea as an indication of their solidarity and respect for this National holiday.
A memorial service is performed on July 17th of each year and it serves to profess the protection of the Korean Constitution in light of democracy.
In 2008, Constitution Day was officially taken away from the public sector as being a non-working day. Citizens still have to go to work. This was administered when the government decided that they needed to reduce the number of non-working holidays that citizens could enjoy. Arbor Day (plant a tree day) and Constitution Day fell in that same category even though they are still considered as public holidays.
Constitution Day marked the signing of the Korean Constitution as well as the end of the imperial rule that the Japanese had to undergo in 1945.
Constitution Day was the day when South Korea and North Korea became divided. It is not a day that many individuals want to remember since they are being separated from their families who live in other parts of Korea.
This particular day is mostly a reminder of the political impact that was created due to South Korean government’s decision to become their own entity.
