South Korea Public Holidays
Chuseok 2026 is on Fri Sep 25 (holiday Thu Sep 24 to Sat Sep 26). Seollal 2026 is on Tue Feb 17 (holiday Mon Feb 16 to Wed Feb 18).
How to use
- Pick a year. The list and the twelve-month calendar update at once and start on the current year.
- Each substitute holiday shows which holiday it replaces.
- Red dates are Sundays and public holidays. Holidays that fall on a Saturday are marked too.
How it works
Holidays follow Article 2 of the Regulations on Holidays of Government Offices: Sundays, the five national days (Independence Movement Day, Constitution Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, Hangul Day), 1 January, the three-day Seollal and Chuseok holidays, Buddha's Birthday (8th day of the 4th lunar month), Labor Day, Children's Day, Memorial Day, Christmas, general election days and temporary holidays set by the government.
Labor Day (1 May) became a public holiday on 1 May 2026 and Constitution Day (17 July) on 11 May 2026 (Presidential Decree 36290). Years up to 2025 do not include them.
Substitute holidays (Article 3): if a national day, Buddha's Birthday, Labor Day, Children's Day or Christmas falls on a Saturday or Sunday, if a Seollal or Chuseok day falls on a Sunday, or if any of these overlaps another holiday on a weekday, the next non-holiday weekday becomes a holiday. New Year's Day, Memorial Day and election days have no substitute.
Seollal, Chuseok and Buddha’s Birthday are converted with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute lunar calendar, which can differ by one day from the Chinese calendar (for example, Seollal 2027 is 7 February in Korea and 6 February in China). Only confirmed temporary holidays are included.
Sources: 관공서의 공휴일에 관한 규정 (대통령령 제36290호) · 공휴일에 관한 법률 · 한국천문연구원 월력요항 · 한국천문연구원 음양력 변환Last reviewed 2026-10-18 (2026 rates)
FAQ
When is Chuseok 2026?
Chuseok 2026 is on Fri Sep 25. The three-day holiday runs from Thu Sep 24 to Sat Sep 26.
When is Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) 2026?
Seollal 2026 is on Tue Feb 17, with the holiday from Mon Feb 16 to Wed Feb 18.
Are businesses closed on Korean public holidays?
Government offices, banks and schools close. Workplaces with five or more employees must give paid leave on public and substitute holidays. Many shops and restaurants close for the first day of Seollal and Chuseok, while large stores often stay open.
Why does Seollal differ from Chinese New Year in some years?
Korea fixes the new moon date on Korean Standard Time and China on China Standard Time. When the new moon falls near midnight, the first day of the lunar month lands on different dates.