| English name |
Korean name |
Transliteration |
Date |
Remarks |
National celebration day |
Flag raising |
Day off |
| New Year's Day |
신정 |
Sinjeong |
January 1 |
The official name of the holiday means New Calendar New Year's Day |
no |
no |
yes |
| Korean New Year |
설날 |
Seollal |
1st day of 1st lunar month |
Also called Seol (설) or Gujeong (Korean: 구정; Hanja: 舊正). The first day of the Korean lunar calendar. It is one of the most important of the traditional Korean holidays, and is considered a more important holiday than the Gregorian New Year's Day.[1] |
no |
no |
yes (3 days) |
| Daeboreum |
정월 대보름 |
jeong-wol daeboreum |
15th day of 1st lunar month |
Daeboreum is a Korean holiday that celebrates the first full moon of the new year of the lunar Korean calendar which is the Korean version of the First Full Moon Festival. This holiday is accompanied by many traditions. |
no |
no |
no |
| Independence Movement Day |
3ㆍ1절 |
Samiljeol |
March 1 |
This day commemorates the March 1st Movement in 1919. On March 1 of this year, 33 Korean nationalists and students declared their nation's independence in Seoul. It started a nationwide civil protest and was a catalyst for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (April 13, 1919). |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Children's Day |
어린이날 |
Eorininal |
May 5 |
The 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 people including Bang Jeong-hwan (방정환) 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 |
부처님 오신 날 |
Bucheonnim Osinnal |
8th day of 4th lunar month |
Formerly called Seokgatansinil (Korean: 석가탄신일; Hanja: 釋迦誕辰日); also referred to as Sawol Chopail (Korean: 사월 초파일; Hanja: 四月初八日). The birthday of Gautama Buddha.[2] |
no |
no |
yes |
| Dano (festival) |
단오 |
Dan-o |
5th day of 5th lunar month |
Dano (also called Suritnal) is a traditional Korean holiday celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. It is one of Korea's three major traditional festivals, along with Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival). |
no |
no |
no |
| Memorial Day |
현충일 |
Hyeonchung-il |
June 6 |
The 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 at the Seoul National Cemetery and Daejeon National Cemetery. |
no |
half mast |
yes |
| Constitution Day |
제헌절 |
Jeheonjeol |
July 17 |
The day celebrates the promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea in 1948. |
yes |
yes |
no (since 2008) |
| Liberation Day |
광복절 |
Gwangbokjeol |
August 15 |
The day celebrates the national liberation from the Empire of Japan in 1945. On the same day in 1948, the government of the Republic of Korea was established. The word Gwangbok (Korean: 광복) means "restoration of light". |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Chuseok |
추석 |
Chuseok |
15th day of 8th lunar month |
Also called Han-gawi (Korean: 한가위). Korean traditional harvest and Mid-Autumn Festival. With Korean New Year, it is one of the most important Korean traditional holidays. As a celebration of the good harvest, Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and feast on traditional food.[3] |
no |
no |
yes (3 days) |
| National Foundation Day |
개천절 |
Gaecheonjeol |
October 3 |
The 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 Gregorian calendar, for convenience sake. Gaecheonjeol means "Heaven-opened Day". |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Hangul Day |
한글날 |
Hangeulnal |
October 9 |
The 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 |
yes |
| Christmas |
크리스마스/성탄절[4][5] |
Christmas/Seongtanjeol |
December 25 |
Commonly called Seongtanjeol (Korean: 성탄절; Hanja: 聖誕節), especially among Korean Christians. |
no |
no |
yes |
| Election days for elections on the termination of terms of office referred to in Article 34 of the Public Official Election Act |
「공직선거법」 제34조에 따른 임기만료에 의한 선거의 선거일[4][5] |
Gongjikseongeobeop jesamsipsajoe ttareun imgimanryoe uihan seongeoeui seongeoil |
Not fixed, but always on a Wednesday.[6] |
See Elections in South Korea. It is commonly called Seongeoil (Korean: 선거일) or Seongeonal (Korean: 선거날) (Election Day), in short. The date of this holiday is limited to regular presidential election day, legislative election day, and local election day (excluding Early voting day, by-election day, referendum day or unscheduled election day caused by like impeachment).[7][8] |
no |
no |
yes |
