Complete breakdown of South Korea's 2026 substitute holidays. See which statutory holidays fall on weekends and are compensated with a weekday off, along with the legal basis.
This page lists substitute holidays calculated according to the 2026 official South Korean public holiday regulations as of April 2026. Actual days off may vary due to temporary holiday designations, legal amendments, or company-specific rules. This service bears no legal or operational responsibility. Always confirm with your employer or official government notices.
In 2026, South Korea has 5 substitute holidays: Independence Movement Day (Mar 1, Sun), Buddha's Birthday (May 24, Sun), Liberation Day (Aug 15, Sat), Chuseok (Sep 26, Sat), and National Foundation Day (Oct 3, Sat). Children's Day, Hangul Day, and Christmas fall on weekdays and don't require substitution. New Year's Day and Memorial Day are excluded by law.
They are automatically applied under Korea's Public Office Holidays Regulation (Presidential Decree). When an eligible holiday overlaps with a Sunday, Saturday, or another public holiday, the first weekday after the overlap automatically becomes a substitute — no separate cabinet vote is required.
Independence Movement Day, Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, Hangul Day, Children's Day, Buddha's Birthday, Christmas, Lunar New Year, and Chuseok. New Year's Day (Jan 1) and Memorial Day (Jun 6) are excluded. The scope was expanded by the August 2021 amendment.
If any day of the 3-day cluster overlaps with a Saturday or Sunday, the first weekday after the cluster becomes a substitute holiday. Chuseok 2026 (Sep 24 Thu – Sep 26 Sat) overlaps with Saturday, so Sep 28 (Mon) is the substitute.
Since January 2022, private businesses with 5 or more employees must treat substitute holidays as paid leave under the Labor Standards Act Article 55(2) and related Presidential Decree. Businesses with fewer than 5 employees follow their own rules or collective agreements. Check your company policy.
Reference table of South Korea's 2026 substitute holidays, including day-of-week, eligibility under Presidential Decree, substitute dates, and full legal basis. Based on official public holiday regulations as of April 2026.