South Korea gives its workers more vacation days than most people realize — 18 official public holidays in 2025, including substitute days that pop up when holidays land on weekends. For travelers or anyone coordinating with Korean partners, knowing exactly which dates to block off matters more than it might elsewhere. This guide runs through the full 2025 calendar, with dates cross-checked against holiday calendars and government portals.

4 related posts

Total Listed Holidays: 18 ·
Key January Dates: Jan 1, 27-28 ·
Buddha’s Birthday Substitute: May 6 ·
Fall Peak: October 3-9

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact regional observance variations across provinces
  • Whether private sector substitutes follow government calendar exactly
  • Detailed customs for each holiday beyond general traditions
3Timeline signal
  • Jan 1: New Year’s Day (KOISRA UP)
  • Jan 27: Temporary holiday for Seollal
  • Mar 3: Substitute for Independence Day
  • Oct 8: Chuseok substitute
4What’s next
  • Seollal travel surge begins late January
  • May 3-6 four-day weekend builds
  • October Chuseok window creates longest break
Label Value
Year 2025
Country South Korea
First Holiday Jan 1 — New Year’s Day
Lunar New Year Jan 28-30
Gov Source Holidays Buddha’s sub May 6, Chuseok sub Oct 8
Total Public Holidays 18
Days Off (standard workers + Sundays) 68
Days Off (five-day workweek + weekends) 119

How many Korea national holidays are there in 2025?

KOISRA UP confirms that South Korea observes 18 public holidays in 2025 including substitute holidays — a number that outpaces most developed economies. Public holidays in South Korea are commonly known as “Red Days” because they appear in red on printed calendars, and the country grants more statutory time off than many workers elsewhere receive total.

Since August 2021, a substitute holiday policy means that if Independence Movement Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, or Hangeul Day falls on a weekend, a weekday replacement day is granted. Since March 2023, this policy extended to Buddha’s Birthday and Christmas as well — workers get an extra day off if either holiday lands on Saturday or Sunday.

The substitute holiday policy has expanded significantly over time, granting additional compensation days for weekend holidays.

Policy Change Date Implemented Holidays Covered
Initial substitute policy August 2021 Independence Movement Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, Hangeul Day
Extended substitute policy March 2023 Buddha’s Birthday, Christmas

The practical effect: for workers on a five-day schedule, the 18 holidays combined with regular weekends total 119 days off through the year.

Why this matters

For workers on a five-day schedule, the 18 holidays combined with regular weekends total 119 days off through the year — that is more than a third of the calendar year, according to OK Recruiting.

What is the Korea public holiday in October 2025?

October 2025 stands out for travelers and business planners alike. National Foundation Day falls on , celebrating the founding of the Korean nation. This fixed-date holiday has been a public holiday since 2008, and under the August 2021 substitute policy, it qualifies for a weekday replacement if it lands on a weekend.

Hangeul Day follows on , commemorating the invention of the Korean alphabet in 1446. Both dates fall on weekdays in 2025 — Friday and Thursday respectively — which means no substitutes are triggered this year.

Between those two holidays sits Chuseok. The major harvest festival spans (Sunday through Tuesday), with a substitute holiday observed on Wednesday, . KOISRA UP confirms that Chuseok is one of Korea’s most important traditional holidays, drawing families together for ancestral rites and the sharing of seasonal foods like songpyeon rice cakes.

What are the Korean holidays in September 2025?

September does not carry a standalone public holiday in 2025. The closest significant date is Liberation Day on August 15, which marks Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation in 1945 — that event falls in August, not September.

However, the Chuseok holiday window beginning in late September through early October creates what OK Recruiting describes as the year’s most significant extended break period, potentially offering a seven-day span when Chuseok, National Foundation Day, and surrounding weekends align.

What are the Korean holidays in November 2025?

November 2025 does not feature a standalone public holiday. The closest significant observance is the Chuseok substitute on October 8, followed by the next major holiday cluster around Christmas in December.

The absence of a November public holiday means that for businesses planning year-end schedules, late October through early December represents a relatively uninterrupted work period — apart from weekends and standard observances.

What are the Korean holidays in December 2025?

Christmas Day falls on (Thursday). This marks the final official public holiday of the year. Under the extended substitute policy introduced in March 2023, if Christmas lands on a weekend, a replacement day is granted — but in 2025, it falls on a Thursday, so no substitute applies.

The December 25 date is confirmed across multiple holiday calendars, including 11holidays.com, which lists Christmas as a fixed national observance. For workers wrapping up the year, this closes out a calendar that has offered 68 days off when combined with Sundays.

Key mid-year holidays: Buddha’s Birthday, Memorial Day, and more

Three holidays cluster in the spring and summer months, each carrying distinct cultural weight.

Date Holiday Notes
May 1 (Thu) Labour Day Fixed date; no substitute needed
May 5 (Mon) Children’s Day + Buddha’s Birthday Rare same-day overlap; substitute May 6
June 6 (Fri) Memorial Day Observed on fixed date; honors Korean War dead
August 15 (Fri) Liberation Day Fixed date; marks 1945 liberation from Japan
The catch

May 5, 2025 creates a scheduling quirk: both Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday fall on the same calendar date, which OK Recruiting notes produces a four-day weekend from May 3-6. The substitute holiday for Children’s Day is observed on May 6.

Full 2025 timeline

Date Holiday Source
January 1 New Year’s Day KOISRA UP
January 27 Temporary holiday for Seollal OK Recruiting
January 28-30 Seollal (Lunar New Year) OK Recruiting
March 1 Independence Movement Day (Sat) KOISRA UP
March 3 Substitute for Independence Day KOISRA UP
May 1 Labour Day KOISRA UP
May 5 Children’s Day + Buddha’s Birthday KOISRA UP
May 6 Substitute for Children’s Day KOISRA UP
June 6 Memorial Day KOISRA UP
August 15 Liberation Day KOISRA UP
October 3 National Foundation Day KOISRA UP
October 5-7 Chuseok KOISRA UP
October 8 Substitute for Chuseok KOISRA UP
October 9 Hangeul Day KOISRA UP
December 25 Christmas 11holidays

The pattern shows substitute holidays cluster around three key scenarios: fixed-date holidays that land on weekends, overlapping celebrations like Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday, and multi-day festivals like Chuseok.

Confirmed facts

  • 18 public holidays total for 2025 (OK Recruiting)
  • Seollal January 28-30 with temporary holiday January 27
  • Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday both May 5; substitute May 6
  • Chuseok October 5-7 with substitute October 8
  • Substitute policy in effect since August 2021
  • 68 days off for standard workers when Sundays included

What’s unclear

  • Exact regional observance variations by province
  • Whether private companies always follow government substitute calendar
  • Specific school and business closure patterns for each holiday
  • Detailed customs for lesser-known holidays beyond general descriptions

Understanding South Korea’s holiday system

South Korea’s holiday framework operates through the Regulations on Public Holidays of Government Offices, which establishes rules for both fixed-date holidays and lunar calendar observances. The system reflects Korea’s blend of Western and traditional influences — and Seollal follow the lunar calendar, shifting dates yearly, while holidays like National Foundation Day and Liberation Day remain on fixed dates. For a look at how holidays are observed in another country, you can read Lundi de Pentecôte 2025.

The substitute holiday policy introduced in August 2021 was a significant expansion of worker rights in South Korea, adding compensation days for holidays that fall on weekends.

— Office Holidays (holiday policy reference)

The practical impact for travelers and business operators is substantial. Seollal triggers the year’s largest domestic migration as city workers return to ancestral hometowns, similar to the Chuseok exodus in October. Trip.com notes that major transportation networks add capacity during these windows, but accommodations book quickly.

Seollal is one of Korea’s most important holidays marked by family gatherings, ancestral rites, and traditional games — Chuseok is a major harvest festival where families perform ancestral rites and share traditional foods.

— Trip.com (cultural context for Korea’s major holidays)

The takeaway: the substitute holiday system adds a layer of complexity that fixed-date calendars in other countries rarely require. When a major holiday lands on Sunday, Monday suddenly becomes a workday — and workers who did not check the calendar show up surprised.

The upshot

For anyone coordinating with Korean partners or planning travel, the periods that create the most disruption are Seollal (late January) and Chuseok (early October). Both span multiple days and trigger nationwide travel surges. Knowing the exact dates — and especially tracking which days are substitutes — can mean the difference between a smooth trip and being caught in gridlock.

The substitute holiday system adds a layer of complexity that fixed-date calendars in other countries rarely require. When a major holiday lands on Sunday, Monday suddenly becomes a workday — and workers who did not check the calendar show up surprised. For HR departments and travel planners, the 2025 calendar warrants a careful review before year-end planning begins.

Related reading: Hong Kong Holiday 2025 · Government Payout 2025 Payout Date

Additional sources

officeholidays.com, trip.com, sg.trip.com, koreabylocal.com, en.wikipedia.org, 11holidays.com, visaforkorea-ce.com, saerolabor.com, date.nager.at, officeholidays.com

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Frequently asked questions

How many Korea national holidays are there in 2025?

South Korea observes 18 public holidays in 2025 including substitute holidays. This count, confirmed by multiple holiday calendars, places Korea among countries with the most statutory holidays globally.

What dates are the Seollal Holidays in 2025?

Seollal falls on January 28-30, 2025, with a temporary government holiday on January 27. The celebration marks the Lunar New Year and typically involves three days off for workers, with families gathering for ancestral rites.

When is Buddha’s Birthday holiday in South Korea 2025?

Buddha’s Birthday falls on May 5, 2025 — which coincides with Children’s Day. A substitute holiday is observed on May 6. Buddha’s Birthday (Seokka) follows the lunar calendar and shifts dates each year.

Is there a public holiday in South Korea on June 3, 2025?

June 3, 2025 falls between established holidays. Memorial Day is June 6, and Liberation Day is August 15. Any special temporary holidays would be announced through government channels closer to the date.

What is National Foundation Day in Korea?

National Foundation Day (Gaecheongjeol) on October 3 celebrates the founding of Gojoseon, Korea’s first kingdom, traditionally dated to 2333 BCE. It has been a public holiday since 2008 and qualifies for substitute compensation under the August 2021 policy.

Are there substitute public holidays in 2025?

Yes. Several holidays generate substitutes in 2025: Independence Movement Day substitute (March 3) because March 1 falls on Saturday; Children’s Day substitute (May 6) because Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday share May 5; and Chuseok substitute (October 8) because Chuseok’s third day falls on Tuesday. The policy has been in place since August 2021.

What South Korea holidays fall in October 2025?

October 2025 features National Foundation Day (October 3), Chuseok (October 5-7) with substitute October 8, and Hangeul Day (October 9). This creates multiple holiday clusters within a single week.

For travelers mapping out 2025, the stakes are concrete: two major holiday periods — Seollal in late January and Chuseok in early October — drive the year’s biggest domestic travel surges. Advance booking is not optional during these windows; it is the only way to secure transport and lodging.