Presidential spokesperson Kim Eui-gyeom said yesterday that President Moon Jae In has decided not to set Parents Day as a temporary holiday this year.
The spokesperson added “the fact that many kindergartens and elementary schools are closed for the day has affected the decision at large.”
The spokesperson explained that the office was concerned due to parents’ burden on taking care of their children while still having to go to work.
President Moon had initially made the pledge to make the day a temporary holiday so people could celebrate with their parents.
According to Korea Bizwire:
The reasons given by the faction desiring Parents’ Day as a holiday have largely revolved around “hyodo”, Korean for filial piety. In a country still deeply rooted in Confucian values, statements such as “have to seek out my parents” and “it is only right for a day devoted to expressing gratitude to one’s parents be a public holiday” still carry weight.
Aside from familial duties, the merit in having an additional day off becomes clear when examining the calendar. This year, May 5, South Korea’s Children’s Day and an official public holiday, has fallen on a Saturday, meaning that the following Monday has been declared a replacement holiday according to an enactment by the former Park administration. Thus, a holiday on May 8, Tuesday, would make the holiday period four days long.
Despite the prospect of another day off, not all are keen on the idea. Among those in objection are scores of married women who insist that the long holidays will turn into another long stay with their in-laws similar to Chuseok and Lunar New Year’s. With sufferers of “holiday syndrome” occurring every year post-holidays from overwork and stress, extended family gatherings are occasions to avoid for many.
Another major reason for the lack of enthusiasm for the extra holiday appears to be based on economic grounds. Choi Seung-jae, chairman of the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, said in a radio appearance yesterday, “When a holiday period grows longer, there is a part of it that hurts microbusiness owners.”
