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South Korean Holidays

South Korean Holidays

Various public & national holidays observed in South Korea


  • sitesworld.comNational Celebration Day (Hangul: 국경일, Hanja: 國慶日)
  • National Flag Raising Day (Hangul: 국기게양일, Hanja: 國旗揭揚日)
  • Public Day Off (Hangul: 공휴일, Hanja: 公休日)
sitesworld.comDateName
English nameKorean nameKorean name
January 1New Year's Day쉠ꠕSinjeong
February 10Korean New Year's Day설뀠Seollal
March 1Independence Movement day삼일ꠈSamiljeol
May 5Children's Day어린이뀠Eorininal
May 17Buddha's Birthday석가탄쉠일Seokgatansinil
June 6Memorial Day현충일Hyeonchung-il
August 15Liberation Day광복ꠈGwangbokjeol
September 19Midautumn Festival추석Chuseok
October 3National Foundation Day개천ꠈGaecheonjeol
October 9Hangul Day한글뀠Hangeulnal
December 25Christmas Day성탄ꠈSeongtanjeolsitesworld.com
sitesworld.comNameDateRemarks National Celebration Day Flag Raising Day Off
New Year's Day

쉠ꠕ(新正)1
( Sinjeong )

January 1The day celebrates new year. No (#) Yes
Korean New Year's Day

설뀠
( Seollal )

1st day of 1st lunar monthAlso called " Seol (설)" or " Gujeong (구ꠕ, 舊正)". The first day of the lunar Korean calendar. It is one of the most important of the traditional Korean holidays, and is considered a more important holiday than the solar New Year's Day. No No Yes
(3 days)
Independence (Declaration) Day

3.1ꠈ(三一節)
( Samiljeol )

March 1This day commemorates the March 1st Movement in 1919. On March 1 of this year, 33 Korean nationalist students declared their nation's independence in Seoul. It started a nation-wide civil protest and was a catalyst for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (April 13, 1919). Yes (#) Yes
Children's Day

어린이뀠
( Eorininal )

May 5The day on which to esteem the personalities of children and plan for their happiness. In Korea, Children's Day started on May 1, 1922, when 8 persons including Bang Jeong-Hwan (in Korean 방ꠕ환) declared the Day and held an anniversary. In 1946, the Day changed to May 5, and became a public holiday in 1975. No No Yes
Buddha's Birthday

석가탄쉠일(釋迦誕辰日)
( Seokgatansinil )

8th day of 4th lunar monthAlso called " Bucheonnim Osinnal (부처님 오쉠 뀠)" or " Sawol Chopail (사월 초파일,四月初八日). The birthday of the Gautama Buddha. In South Korea, Buddhism is the one of two major religions, along with Christianity. No No Yes
Memorial Day

현충일(顯彠日)
( Hyeonchung-il )

June 6The day commemorates the men and women who died while in military service or in the independence movement. On this day, a national commemoration ceremony is held in Seoul National Cemetery. No (#)
(half mast)
Yes
Constitution Day

ꠜ헌ꠈ(制憲節)
( Jeheonjeol )

July 17The day celebrates the promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea in 1948. Yes (#) No
Liberation Day

광복ꠈ(光復節)
( Gwangbokjeol )

August 15The day celebrates the national liberation from Imperial Japan in 1945. On the same day in 1948, the government of the Republic of Korea was established. The word " Gwangbok " means "restoration of light". Yes (#) Yes
Midautumn Festival

추석(秋夕)
( Chuseok )

15th day of 8th lunar monthAlso called " Han-gawi (한가위)". Korean traditional Harvest Festival. With Seollal , it is one of the most important Korean traditional holidays. As a celebration of the good harvest, Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of Korean traditional food. No No Yes
(3days)
Armed Forces Day

국군(國軍)의 뀠
( Gukgunuinal )

October 1The day recognizes, venerates, and honors the military forces of the Republic of Korea. In 1950, during the Korean War, South Korean Forces broke through the 38th parallel on October 1. No (#) No
National Foundation Day

개천ꠈ(開天節)
( Gaecheonjeol )

October 3The day celebrates the foundation of Gojoseon, the first state of the Korean nation. According to the Samguk Yusa, Dangun founded Gojoseon on the 3rd day of 10th lunar month, 2333 BC. Today, South Koreans celebrate their national foundation on October 3 according to the solar calendar, for convenience sake. " Gaecheonjeol " means "Heaven-opened Day". Yes (#) Yes
Hangul Day

한글뀠
( Hangeulnal )

October 9The day commemorates the invention (1443) and the proclamation (1446) of hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language.King Sejong the Great, inventor of hangul, is one of the most honored rulers in Korean history. Yes (#) Yes
Christmas Day

기독탄쉠일(基督誕辰日)
( Gidoktansinil )

December 25Christmas is commonly called " Seongtanjeol (성탄ꠈ,聖誕節)" in Korean(especially among Korean Catholics), but the official Korean name fixed by law is " Gidoktansinil "2. In South Korea, Korean Christianity is the one of two major religions, along with Buddhism. No No Yes
Footnotes :

1 This is not a legal name. The legal name is simply "January 1"
2 The Korean word jeol (ꠈ,節) means 'holiday' or 'festival', and is only used for National Celebration Days in South Korean law. The words il (일,日) and nal (뀠) mean 'day' and are used for the names of general commemoration days.

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