In 2027, the total number of days off that a five-day workweek employee can actually take is counted at 119. There are 72 public holidays in total, and there are 10 stretches of holidays lasting three days or more.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration announced the "2027 monthly calendar essentials," the standard for producing the 2027 calendar. The monthly calendar essentials is a compilation of dates and solar terms based on astronomical calendrics and public holidays under relevant laws, and is used each year as the standard for calendar production and for people's daily schedules.
Public holidays marked in red on the 2027 calendar total 76 days, comprising 52 Sundays plus 24 days including national holidays, substitute holidays, Labor Day, and Constitution Day. However, because Lunar New Year's Day on Feb. 7, Memorial Day on Jun. 6, Liberation Day on Aug. 15, and National Foundation Day on Oct. 3 all fall on Sunday, the actual number of public holidays is 72.
Based on five-day workweek institutions, adding 52 Saturdays brings the total holidays to 124 days. But because the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday on Feb. 6, Labor Day on May 1, Constitution Day on Jul. 17, Hangeul Day on Oct. 9, and Christmas on Dec. 25 fall on Saturday, the actual days off are calculated at 119.
In particular, there are 10 holiday periods of three days or longer. A three-day break begins from Jan. 1 to 3 for New Year's Day, and the Lunar New Year holiday runs for four days from Feb. 6 to 9. Then there is the March 1 Independence Movement Day break from Feb. 27 to Mar. 1, and in May, including Labor Day and a substitute holiday, people can take off from May 1 to 3.
Holiday stretches continue in the second half. The Constitution Day break runs from Jul. 17 to 19, and the Liberation Day break lasts from Aug. 14 to 16. The Chuseok holiday is a three-day period from Sep. 14 to 16, and in October, the National Foundation Day break and the Hangeul Day break run from Oct. 2 to 4 and from Oct. 9 to 11, respectively. At the end of the year, because Christmas falls on a Saturday and a substitute holiday applies, there will be a three-day break from Dec. 25 to 27.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration also released major traditional holidays and solar terms. Lunar New Year's Day is Sunday, Feb. 7, and Jeongwol Daeboreum (First Full Moon Festival) is Sunday, Feb. 21. Dano is Wednesday, Jun. 9; Chilseok is Sunday, Aug. 8; and Chuseok is Wednesday, Sep. 15. Hansik is Apr. 6, Chobok is Jul. 20, Jungbok is Jul. 30, and Malbok is Aug. 9.
Detailed information on the 2027 monthly calendar essentials will be available starting on the 29th in the Official Gazette and on the websites of the Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI).