In 2026, South Korea’s statutory holiday calendar includes 15 national/public holidays (“red days”). 2026 is also a nationwide local election year, and Election Day (June 3) is an official one-day holiday so citizens can vote. Because several key holidays fall on a weekend, Korea’s substitute holiday system creates additional weekdays off for payroll and operational planning.
Please refer to the table below for the public holidays in Korea for 2026:
| South Korea Public Holidays for 2026 | ||
| Holiday | Day | Date |
| New Year’s Day | Thu | January 1 |
| Seollal (Korean New Year) | Mon, Tue, Wed | February 16 – 18 |
| Independence Movement Day (Samiljeol) | Sun (Observed Mon) | March 1 (Observed March 2) |
| Labour Day / Workers’ Day (Private sector) | Fri | May 1 |
| Children’s Day | Tue | May 5 |
| Buddha’s Birthday | Sun (Observed Mon) | May 24 (Observed May 25) |
| Election Day (Nationwide local elections) | Wed | June 3 |
| Memorial Day | Sat | June 6 |
| Liberation Day | Sat (Observed Mon) | August 15 (Observed August 17) |
| Chuseok (Korean harvest/Thanksgiving holiday) | Thu, Fri, Sat | September 24 – 26 |
| National Foundation Day | Sat (Observed Mon) | October 3 (Observed October 5) |
| Hangeul Day | Fri | October 9 |
| Christmas Day | Fri | December 25 |
Substitute holiday system (2026): When certain major public holidays fall on a weekend, an additional weekday is designated as a day off. In 2026, this applies as follows:
- Independence Movement Day (March 1): Falls on Sunday, so it is observed on Monday, March 2.
- Buddha’s Birthday (May 24): Falls on Sunday, so it is observed on Monday, May 25.
- Liberation Day (August 15): Falls on Saturday, so it is observed on Monday, August 17.
- National Foundation Day (October 3): Falls on Saturday, so it is observed on Monday, October 5.
Notes for employers:
- Workers’ Day (May 1) is generally a paid day off for private-sector employees, but it may not apply uniformly to all workplaces (e.g., some public-sector roles) depending on applicable rules and internal policies.
- Memorial Day (June 6) falls on a Saturday in 2026 and does not create an extra weekday off under the substitute holiday system.
- The above list of public holidays in Korea may be changed according to Korean government decisions and official announcements.
Affected services: Payroll Service in Korea, Employer of Record in Korea
