South Korea Public Holidays 2025
South Korea has 15 public holidays in 2025. The government added a temporary holiday on Jan 27 to create a six-day Seollal break, and the substitute-holiday system produces three extra days off (Mar 3, May 6, Oct 8). October delivers a seven-day Golden Week stretching National Foundation Day, Chuseok and Hangeul Day together.
Public holidays
15 days
Substitute holidays
3
Seollal (Lunar New Year)
Jan 25–30
October Golden Week
Oct 3–9
2025 South Korea calendar
01January
02February
03March
04April
05May
06June
07July
08August
09September
10October
11November
12December
South Korea public holiday list
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2025 | Wednesday | New Year's DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| January 27, 2025 | Monday | Temporary Public HolidayDesignated by the Cabinet to bridge the weekend and Seollal into a six-day break.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| Jan 28 – 30 | Tuesday – | Seollal (Lunar New Year)Korea's biggest holiday: New Year's Eve, the day itself (Jan 29) and the day after.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| March 1, 2025 | Saturday | Independence Movement DayCommemorates the March 1, 1919 independence movement; falls on a Saturday in 2025.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| March 3, 2025 | Monday | Substitute Holiday (Independence Movement Day)Independence Movement Day falls on a Saturday, so Monday is a substitute holiday.Substitute holiday | Substitute holiday |
| May 5, 2025 | Monday | Children's Day & Buddha's BirthdayIn 2025 Children's Day and Buddha's Birthday fall on the same Monday.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| May 6, 2025 | Tuesday | Substitute HolidayBecause Children's Day overlaps Buddha's Birthday, the next day is a substitute holiday.Substitute holiday | Substitute holiday |
| June 6, 2025 | Friday | Memorial DayHonours those who died in military service; no substitute holiday applies.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| August 15, 2025 | Friday | Liberation DayMarks liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| October 3, 2025 | Friday | National Foundation DayCelebrates the legendary founding of Korea; opens the October Golden Week.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| Oct 5 – 7 | Sunday – | Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)The harvest festival: the eve, Chuseok itself (Oct 6) and the day after.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| October 8, 2025 | Wednesday | Substitute Holiday (Chuseok)Chuseok starts on Sunday (Oct 5), so a substitute holiday is added on Oct 8.Substitute holiday | Substitute holiday |
| October 9, 2025 | Thursday | Hangeul DayCelebrates the creation of the Korean alphabet; closes the October Golden Week.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| December 25, 2025 | Thursday | Christmas DayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
South Korea long weekends in 2025
Seollal (Lunar New Year)
6 daysJan 25 – 30
Sat–Thu: weekend, the Jan 27 temporary holiday and the three Seollal days.
Independence Movement Day
3 daysMar 1 – 3
Sat–Mon: the weekend plus the Mar 3 substitute holiday.
Children's Day & Buddha's Birthday
4 daysMay 3 – 6
Sat–Tue: the weekend, the May 5 double holiday and the May 6 substitute.
Memorial Day
3 daysJun 6 – 8
Fri–Sun: Memorial Day plus the weekend.
Liberation Day
3 daysAug 15 – 17
Fri–Sun: Liberation Day plus the weekend.
October Golden Week
7 daysOct 3 – 9
Fri–Thu: National Foundation Day, Chuseok, the Oct 8 substitute and Hangeul Day all line up.
How South Korea’s substitute holiday system works
When certain public holidays fall on a weekend or overlap another holiday, Korea grants a substitute holiday (대체공휴일) on the next non-holiday weekday. Seollal and Chuseok trigger a substitute when a day overlaps a Sunday or another holiday; Children's Day, the national days (Independence Movement Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, Hangeul Day) and — from 2023 — Buddha's Birthday and Christmas trigger one when they fall on a Saturday or Sunday.
In 2025 this produced three substitute holidays: Mar 3 (for Independence Movement Day on Saturday), May 6 (because Children’s Day and Buddha’s Birthday coincided) and Oct 8 (because Chuseok began on a Sunday).
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Official sources & data
- 관공서의 공휴일에 관한 규정 (Regulations on Holidays of Public Offices)Visit sourceMinistry of Government Legislation, Republic of Korea (National Law Information Center)
- 1월 27일 임시공휴일 지정 국무회의 의결 (Cabinet designates January 27 a temporary public holiday)Visit sourceMinistry of Personnel Management, Republic of Korea
- Public Holidays in KoreaVisit sourceKorea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea)
- Gov't designates Jan. 27 as temporary holidayVisit sourceYonhap News Agency
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does South Korea have in 2025?+
There are 15 public holiday days in 2025, including the Jan 27 temporary holiday and three substitute holidays (Mar 3, May 6, Oct 8).
When is Seollal (Korean New Year) 2025?+
Seollal is Jan 28–30, 2025, with Lunar New Year’s Day on Jan 29. With the Jan 27 temporary holiday and the prior weekend, it forms a six-day break (Jan 25–30).
Why are Mar 3, May 6 and Oct 8 holidays in 2025?+
They are substitute holidays. Independence Movement Day fell on a Saturday (→ Mar 3), Children’s Day overlapped Buddha’s Birthday (→ May 6), and Chuseok began on a Sunday (→ Oct 8).
When is the October Golden Week in 2025?+
Oct 3–9, 2025 (Fri–Thu): National Foundation Day, the three-day Chuseok, the Oct 8 substitute and Hangeul Day combine into a seven-day stretch.
Is Labour Day (May 1) a public holiday in South Korea in 2025?+
In 2025 May 1 (Workers’ Day) was a paid day off for employees under the Labor Standards Act but not an official public holiday for civil servants, schools or banks. It became a full public holiday from 2026.
