As the New Year 2026 dawns, interest in this year's golden long weekends is also rising.
As of the 2nd, the earliest long weekend is Lunar New Year. This year's Lunar New Year holiday runs from Monday, Feb. 16 to Wednesday, Feb. 18, and including the weekend before, people can take a total of five days off. If employees use annual leave on the 19th–20th, they will be off for nine days from the 14th to the 22nd.
The next holiday is Independence Movement Day. This year, Independence Movement Day falls on a Sunday, so March 2 is expected to be designated as a substitute holiday.
In May, there is Children's Day. This year, May 5 falls on a Tuesday, so if employees take annual leave on the 4th, the day before, they can rest for four days including the weekend. Buddha's Birthday, May 24, falls on a Sunday, so the following day, the 25th, is expected to be designated as a substitute holiday. Also, on June 3, there will be the 9th local elections.
In August, there is Liberation Day. This year, Liberation Day falls on Saturday, Aug. 15, so the 17th is likely to be designated as a substitute holiday.
The Chuseok holiday runs from Thursday, Sept. 24 to Sunday, Sept. 27. In October, there are National Foundation Day and Hangeul Day, and since this year's National Foundation Day falls on a Saturday, the 5th is expected to be designated as a substitute holiday.
There are no public holidays in April, July and November. In addition, the reassignment of Constitution Day on July 17 as a statutory holiday and whether to designate Dec. 3 as the Day of popular sovereignty have not been finalized.