South Korea Public & National Holidays (2026)

South Korea is the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is known for its Buddhist temples, modern architecture, and hightech city of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. South Korea is the third-largest economy in Asia and the 16th largest in the world.

Public holidays in South Korea consist of cultural and religious holidays celebrated across the country. These days are paid holidays off and time for South Koreans to celebrate with their families and explore Korea.

Below is a full list of public holidays in South Korea with dates and descriptions of each public holiday.

When are the public holidays in South Korea?

Which are the public holidays in South Korea?

New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is marked by festivities in South Korea.

Korean New Year Holiday 
Korean New Year is celebrated every year. The Korean New Year is the first day of the Korean lunar calendar. It is one of the most important traditional Korean holidays.

March 1st Movement
This holiday marks Korea’s resistance from Japan from 1910 into 1945.

Labor Day
Labor Day falls every 1st of May in South Korea. It celebrates workers’ rights.

Children’s Day Holiday
Also known as Boy’s Day, Children’s Day is celebrated every May 5 in South Korea.

Buddha’s Birthday
This holiday commemorates the birthday of Prince Siddhartha Gautama.

Memorial Day
The nation of South Korea honors the military in a solemn ceremony held at the national cemetery located in the capital city of South Korea on Memorial Day.

Constitution Day
Celebrated every July 17, Constitution Day is the day that the South Korean constitution was proclaimed in 1948.

Liberation Day
Celebrated annually on August 15, the National Liberation day is held both in North and South Korea. It is a special day to remember South Korea’s Victory over Japan and when the U.S. and Soviet forces ended the Japanese occupation in Korea.

Harvest Festival Holiday
Chuseok, or the Harvest Moon Festival, celebrates the start of the harvest season in South Korea. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.

National Foundation Day
South Korea marks the national foundation day every October 3. It is marked by parades, festivals, parties and other activities.

Hangeul Day
The Korean Alphabet Day is also known as Hangeul Day. It remembers the day the Hangul was proclaimed.

Christmas Day
Christmas is both a cultural and religious holiday which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated annually every December 25.

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