Holiday Guide for South Korea in 2021

South Korea information

List of National Holidays in South Korea in 2021

	Friday January 1st  Long Weekend!  New Year's Day South Korea: New Year's Day is a public holiday in all countries that observe the Gregorian calendar, with the exception of Israel
	Thursday February 11th Korean New Year Holiday South Korea: Known as Seollal, Korean New Year is the first day of the lunar Korean calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays
	Friday February 12th  Long Weekend!  Korean New Year South Korea: Known as Seollal, Korean New Year is the first day of the lunar Korean calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays
	Saturday February 13th Korean New Year Holiday South Korea: Known as Seollal, Korean New Year is the first day of the lunar Korean calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays
	Sunday February 14th Korean New Year Holiday South Korea: Known as Seollal, Korean New Year is the first day of the lunar Korean calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays
	Monday March 1st  Long Weekend!  March 1st Movement South Korea: Independence Movement Day (Samil Jeol) commemorates a nation-wide independence movement in South Korea which took place on March 1st 1919 in protest against colon
	Wednesday May 5th Children's Day South Korea: This Holiday was founded by the Korean childrens writer Pang Chong-hwan in 1923 as a way to instil in the children a sense of independence and national pride
	Wednesday May 19th Buddha's Birthday South Korea: Lantern parades are held for Buddhas Birthday which is celebrated in late April or early May
	Sunday June 6th Memorial Day South Korea: Memorial Day Commemorates those who died during the Korean War
	Sunday August 15th Liberation Day South Korea: Marks the liberation of Korea from 35 years of Japanese imperial rule in 1945 after the end of the second World War.
	Monday August 16th  Long Weekend!  Liberation Day (in lieu) South Korea: Becomes an alternative holiday under the government's alternative statutory holiday program.
	Monday September 20th  Long Weekend!  Harvest Festival Holiday South Korea: Chuseok, the Harvest Moon Festival is one of Korea's most cherished holidays
	Tuesday September 21st Harvest Festival South Korea: Chuseok, the Harvest Moon Festival is one of Korea's most cherished holidays
	Wednesday September 22nd Harvest Festival Holiday South Korea: Chuseok, the Harvest Moon Festival is one of Korea's most cherished holidays
	Sunday October 3rd National Foundation Day South Korea: Foundation Day marks the traditional founding of Korea by Tan-gun in 2333 BC
	Monday October 4th  Long Weekend!  National Foundation Day (in lieu) South Korea: Becomes an alternative holiday under the government's alternative statutory holiday program.
	Saturday October 9th Hangeul Day South Korea: Marks the proclamation of the Korean alphabet in 1446. Reinstated as a holiday in 2013
	Monday October 11th  Long Weekend!  Hangeul Day (in lieu) South Korea: Becomes an alternative holiday under the government's alternative statutory holiday program.
	Saturday December 25th Christmas Day South Korea: Christmas celebrates the Nativity of Jesus which according to tradition took place on December 25th 1 BC

Notes

• Public holidays in South Korea are commonly known as 'Red Days' as this is how they are usually coloured in printed calendars.
• The Korean government has announced that from the second half of 2014 onwards, if the date of Seollal, Chuseok, or Children's Day falls on Sunday, then the holiday will be extended to Monday.
• Since August 2021, March 1st Independence Movement Day, National Liberation Day, National Foundation Day and Hangeul Day have been added to the list of holidays that are compensated if they fall on a weekend.
• Since March 2023, South Korean workers will enjoy an extra day off if either Buddha's Birthday or Christmas overlaps with a Saturday or Sunday.