Public Holiday Calendar Guide for South Korea
South Korea's public-holiday calendar combines national commemorations, traditional lunar festivals, religious observances and other holidays designated by law. Seollal and Chuseok are especially important periods for family gatherings and domestic travel, while national days commemorate major events in Korean history and culture. Public-holiday rules also provide substitute holidays in defined circumstances, making the official calendar important for both employment and travel planning. [1][2]
How South Korea Defines Public Holidays
The Public Holidays Act establishes the national framework for public holidays. The list includes national days designated under separate legislation, New Year's Day, the Seollal holiday period, Buddha's Birthday, Labour Day, Children's Day, Memorial Day, the Chuseok holiday period, Christmas, certain election days and other days specially designated by the government. [1]
Some holidays follow the Gregorian calendar, while Seollal, Buddha's Birthday and Chuseok are determined by the lunar calendar. Their Gregorian dates therefore vary from year to year. Travellers and employers should use the applicable official calendar rather than carrying dates forward from an older calendar. [1][3]
Paid Holidays and Employment Rules
Public-holiday status and an employee's paid-leave entitlement are related but legally distinct questions. The Labor Standards Act requires employers within its applicable scope to provide paid holidays prescribed by presidential decree, and the enforcement decree links that entitlement to public holidays and substitute holidays established under the rules governing public offices. A written agreement with the workers' representative can allow a covered holiday to be replaced by a specified working day in accordance with the Act. [4][5]
The original reference's claim that the same mandatory paid-leave rule applies across every business sector is too broad. The Labor Standards Act contains scope and applicability rules, including provisions tied to workplace size, so employers should check the legislation applicable to their workplace and workforce rather than infer employment rights solely from the public-holiday calendar. [4]
Seollal and Chuseok
Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, and Chuseok, the major autumn harvest holiday, are among South Korea's most important traditional holidays. The statutory calendar gives each a multi-day holiday period surrounding the principal festival day. Both are strongly associated with families gathering together, and large numbers of people travel to their hometowns during these periods. [1][3]
The travel impact is substantial enough to affect practical planning. Korea Tourism Organization guidance warns that demand for intercity trains and buses surges around Seollal and that tickets can sell out quickly; similar guidance for Chuseok recommends advance transportation reservations. Visitors travelling during either holiday should book long-distance transport early and keep some flexibility in their itinerary. [6][7]
National Days and Historical Commemorations
Several holidays commemorate defining events or symbols in Korean history. March First Independence Movement Day remembers the mass independence movement against Japanese colonial rule and the declaration of Korean independence. Liberation Day commemorates Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, while National Foundation Day recalls the traditional foundation of Gojoseon. Hangeul Day marks the creation and promulgation of the Korean writing system. [8][9]
These civic holidays have a different character from family-centred festivals such as Seollal and Chuseok, but they form an important part of the same national calendar. Government ceremonies, commemorative programmes and displays of the Taegeukgi, the national flag, may accompany major national observances. [8][9]
How Substitute Holidays Work
South Korea has a statutory substitute-holiday system, but the rules are more specific than simply moving every weekend holiday to the next weekday. The presidential regulation identifies which categories receive a substitute day when they coincide with Saturday, Sunday or another public holiday. Depending on the holiday involved, the trigger can differ. [2]
Where the substitute-holiday rules apply, the substitute is generally assigned to the first subsequent day that is not already a public holiday. The regulation also addresses situations in which substitute holidays themselves overlap or fall on a Saturday. Because the rules depend on the holiday and the particular calendar configuration, the officially published calendar is the safest reference for any given year. [2]
What Visitors Can Expect During Holidays
A public holiday does not mean that tourism and retail activity stops nationwide. Korea Tourism Organization guidance states that offices and banks close on official holidays, while palaces, museums, department stores and amusement facilities can remain open. Individual operating schedules still vary, particularly during Seollal and Chuseok. [3]
The two major traditional holidays deserve extra attention. Some department stores, malls, restaurants and attractions close on the principal festival day or for part of the holiday period, while convenience stores and businesses in tourist areas are more likely to remain open. Visitors should check each venue's schedule directly rather than assuming either universal closure or normal opening hours. [6]
Frequently Asked Questions about Holidays in South Korea
Does every public holiday that falls on a weekend move to the next weekday?
No. South Korea's substitute-holiday system contains specific rules for different categories of holidays and different types of overlap. Where the rules apply, a subsequent non-holiday is designated as the substitute day. Check the official calendar for the relevant year rather than assuming that every weekend holiday automatically moves to Monday. [2]
Are public holidays paid days off for employees?
The Labor Standards Act requires paid holidays prescribed by presidential decree for employees and workplaces within the relevant scope of the Act, and the enforcement decree connects this entitlement to designated public holidays and substitute holidays. Employment coverage and any lawful substitution arrangements should be checked under the applicable labour rules rather than inferred from the calendar alone. [4][5]
Why do the dates of Seollal and Chuseok change every year?
Seollal and Chuseok are based on the traditional lunar calendar rather than fixed Gregorian dates. Their positions on the Gregorian calendar therefore change from year to year. [1][3]
Should I book transport in advance for Seollal or Chuseok?
Yes. These are major family-travel periods, and official tourism guidance warns that demand for intercity trains and express buses rises sharply and tickets can sell out. Advance booking is particularly important for long-distance travel. [6][7]
Do shops and tourist attractions close during Seollal and Chuseok?
Some do, but there is no universal closure. Major tourist facilities and retail businesses may operate during public holidays, while individual museums, department stores, restaurants and shops can close on the principal festival day or during part of the Seollal or Chuseok period. Check the specific venue before visiting. [3][6]
Sources
- 공휴일에 관한 법률- 국가법령정보센터
- 관공서의 공휴일에 관한 규정- 국가법령정보센터
- Public Holidays- Korea Tourism Organization
- 근로기준법- 국가법령정보센터
- 연계정보- 국가법령정보센터
- 2026 Seollal Holiday Travel Guide- Korea Tourism Organization
- 2026 Chuseok Holiday Travel Guide- Korea Tourism Organization
- 3 recommended spots to see vestiges of 1919 movement- Korea.net
- FACTS ABOUT KOREA- Korea.net