Best Days to Take Leave in North Korea 2026
Use these holiday-anchored annual leave ideas to turn a few leave days into longer breaks:
- Take Fri, Feb 13 to get 5 days off from Feb 13 to Feb 17. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Day of the Shining Star, Day of the Shining Star; Korean New Year.
- Take Wed, Feb 18 to get 5 days off from Feb 14 to Feb 18. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Day of the Shining Star, Day of the Shining Star; Korean New Year.
- Take Fri, Apr 17 to get 5 days off from Apr 15 to Apr 19. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Day of the Sun.
- Take Fri, Jan 2 to get 4 days off from Jan 1 to Jan 4. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by New Year's Day.
- Take Mon, Mar 2 to get 4 days off from Feb 28 to Mar 3. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Daeboreum.
North Korea 2026 Long Weekend & Vacation Planning Guide
Discover 11 long weekend and bridge day opportunities in 2026 to maximize your annual leave:
- New Year's Day (2026-01-01, Thursday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Friday off for a 4-day extended mini-vacation (Thu–Sun)!
- Day of the Shining Star (2026-02-16, Monday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Sat–Mon) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Day of the Shining Star; Korean New Year (2026-02-17, Tuesday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Monday off for a 4-day long weekend getaway (Sat–Tue)!
- Daeboreum (2026-03-03, Tuesday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Monday off for a 4-day long weekend getaway (Sat–Tue)!
- Day of the Sun (2026-04-16, Thursday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Friday off for a 4-day extended mini-vacation (Thu–Sun)!
- International Workers' Day (2026-05-01, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War (2026-07-27, Monday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Sat–Mon) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Day of Songun (2026-08-25, Tuesday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Monday off for a 4-day long weekend getaway (Sat–Tue)!
- Youth Day (2026-08-28, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Chuseok (2026-09-25, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Mother's Day (2026-11-16, Monday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Sat–Mon) with 0 days of leave needed!
North Korea Official Public Holidays 2026 Schedule
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 (2026-01-01) | Thu | New Year's Day | Public |
| Feb 8 (2026-02-08) | Sun | Founding Day of the Korean People's Army | Public |
| Feb 16 (2026-02-16) | Mon | Day of the Shining Star | Public |
| Feb 17 (2026-02-17) | Tue | Day of the Shining Star; Korean New Year | Public |
| Mar 3 (2026-03-03) | Tue | Daeboreum | Public |
| Mar 8 (2026-03-08) | Sun | International Women's Day | Public |
| Apr 5 (2026-04-05) | Sun | Cheongmyeong Festival | Public |
| Apr 15 (2026-04-15) | Wed | Day of the Sun | Public |
| Apr 16 (2026-04-16) | Thu | Day of the Sun | Public |
| Apr 25 (2026-04-25) | Sat | Founding Day of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army | Public |
| May 1 (2026-05-01) | Fri | International Workers' Day | Public |
| Jun 6 (2026-06-06) | Sat | Foundation Day of the Korean Children's Union | Public |
| Jul 27 (2026-07-27) | Mon | Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War | Public |
| Aug 15 (2026-08-15) | Sat | Liberation Day | Public |
| Aug 25 (2026-08-25) | Tue | Day of Songun | Public |
| Aug 28 (2026-08-28) | Fri | Youth Day | Public |
| Sep 9 (2026-09-09) | Wed | Founding Day of the DPRK | Public |
| Sep 25 (2026-09-25) | Fri | Chuseok | Public |
| Oct 10 (2026-10-10) | Sat | Foundation Day of the Workers' Party of Korea | Public |
| Nov 16 (2026-11-16) | Mon | Mother's Day | Public |
| Dec 27 (2026-12-27) | Sun | Socialist Constitution Day | Public |
About North Korea Holidays & Observances
North Korea observes national public holidays and commemorations, with dates that may be updated by official proclamation. Commercial banks, government offices, schools, and financial institutions are typically closed on statutory public holidays.