Koreans will be treated to an unexpected long weekend when Aug. 14 is officially declared a temporary public holiday next Tuesday.

The government said that the decision to turn the eve of the Liberation Day  into a temporary public holiday was made to celebrate the 70th anniversary of liberation and to boost the economy by encouraging domestic consumption.

At the same time, the government unveiled a package of measures aimed at encouraging domestic tourism, including a toll waiver on all expressways on Aug. 14. A special Korail pass for those under 28 years old will be offered at 50 percent discount from Aug. 8 through the end of the month. The Korea Grand Sale, a discount program for foreign tourists that typically takes place toward the end of the year, will kick off on Aug. 14.

The temporary public holiday will have an economic impact of 1.3 trillion won, according to Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan. Whether an extra holiday can have such great impact remains to be seen and there are concerns that the hastily arranged public holiday may end up costing the taxpayers.

Take, for example, the unprecedented toll-free day on the nation’s highways. Korea Express Corporation could lose some 14.9 billion won ($12.7 million) in tolls on Aug. 14, during its biggest earning month when vacationers take to the road. For a public corporation saddled with more than 26.4 trillion won in debt, the loss is no small matter. The gap will have to be made up most likely with taxpayer money or by raising the toll. The toll waiver also presents a problem for Korea Express Corporation which has resisted calls for toll waivers during the Chuseok holiday period, arguing it will incur huge losses.

The same applies to Korail’s plan to offer 50 percent discount on already specially priced rail passes for 24 days. How does Korail plan on making up for the losses it will incur?

Bringing forward the Korea Grand Sale period with a 10-day notice seems highly impractical. Changing the dates of an annual event requires much advance publicity and whether foreigners will make travel plans on such short notice is questionable.

Critics point out that the extra holiday will exacerbate a sense of alienation among workers who will not be given the day off, typically SME employees and factory workers who must meet production schedules. Because temporary public holidays are not mandatory for the private sector, 15 million private sector employees will have to rely on the goodwill of their employers to take the day off while 3 million public sector employees and workers at major businesses are guaranteed a paid leave.

The government said that the unexpected long-weekend was designed to boost the morale of the people. Yet, it appears that there could be many more who will be demoralized by what the government believes is a windfall for the people.