South Korea Constitution Day: July 17
Constitution Day is a public holiday in South Korea.
A Constitution of a country is a set of rules for the government and administration of that country. It may be codified or uncodified, and it may be written down in black and white or it may be unwritten. South Korea has a Constitution that is codified, that is, contained in a single document. A Constitution specifies the powers, functions, duties and responsibilities of the government as well as specifying the rights and duties of citizens. The functioning of a government in any country is extremely dependent on the country’s Constitution.
South Korea Constitution Day History
Constitution Day is celebrated in many countries of the world. It is a day to honor the Constitution of a country, and is generally observed on the day when the Constitution was signed, promulgated or adopted. In South Korea, Constitution Day is observed on July 17 every year.
The South Korean Constitution was proclaimed on this day in 1948. This was done three years after Japan’s defeat in World War II; three years after Korea was liberated from Japanese imperial rule, became a democracy and elected members of the National Assembly of the country in April 1948. The Republic of South Korea’s formal establishment happened soon afterwards- on August 15, 1948. The country’s Constitution had been promulgated by the first elected National Assembly and established a system where there would be a strong President elected indirectly by the National Assembly. The first President of South Korea was Syngman Rhee.
South Korea Constitution Day Traditions and Activities
The Constitution Day was made a public holiday by law passed in October 1948. There are no remarkably special celebrations held to observe Constitution Day, but sometimes, activities such as races, marathons, sports, parades, etc are held. The citizens are not compelled to participate in these activities, but they do so willingly because it is an occasion for joy and celebration, and for interacting with their fellow countrymen. Also, there is a special song played on Constitution Day to commemorate the day.
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