Moon Jae-in designated October 2, 2017, as a temporary public holiday around Chuseok.
The additional day created a longer break because October 3 was National Foundation Day and October 4–6 covered the main Chuseok holiday period. October 9, Hangeul Day, followed shortly afterward, producing an unusually extended autumn holiday.
Moon Jae-in was South Korea’s president from 2017 to 2022. His administration approved the temporary holiday as a measure intended to support family travel, domestic tourism, and time away from work. The decision was widely discussed because Chuseok is already one of the country’s largest annual travel periods.
This special arrangement applied to 2017 and should not be confused with the regular Chuseok public-holiday structure. Temporary holidays are government decisions for particular years, whereas the standard holiday period is tied to the lunar calendar.