On the 2nd, ahead of the 10-day Chuseok holiday, President Lee Jae-myung said, "Where do public officials have vacations or days off? Public service is working 24 hours a day." He added that he plans to use annual leave on the upcoming 10th, an official "sandwich day" (bridge holiday), and told his aides, "You should get some rest, too. Of course, only officially," prompting laughter from the meeting attendees.
That afternoon, presiding over a meeting of senior secretaries and aides, Lee urged his staff, who have been under a heavy workload during the first 100 days since the government's launch, to take "official leave." Lee said, "I also plan to take annual leave on the sandwich day and rest officially. You should rest as well." It means he will not go to the office but will work from home. He added, "Even just not commuting (to the Yongsan presidential office) is something. Resting is resting."
He continued, "Of course, we must handle standby duties and the like," adding, "Frankly, where do public officials have holidays? Public service is about leaping to your feet even from sleep. That's what public service is by nature." The president's remarks drew repeated bursts of laughter in the meeting room.
Regarding the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) breaking through the 3,500 level intraday for the first time ever, Lee said, "This trend itself will not change so easily," adding, "It is because our people are once again finding hope and showing passion." He also said, "Across sectors, there seems to be the force of the thought that 'we can start again now' and that 'things that were abnormal are returning a lot to normal,'" and added, "I ask public officials to prepare well so that we do not go back to the abnormal, and to do their utmost in systems, policies, and administration so we can move forward."