Best Days to Take Leave in South Korea 2026
Use these holiday-anchored annual leave ideas to turn a few leave days into longer breaks:
- Take Mon, Feb 16 to get 6 days off from Feb 14 to Feb 19. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Lunar New Year, Lunar New Year Holiday.
- Take Fri, Feb 20 to get 6 days off from Feb 17 to Feb 22. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Lunar New Year, Lunar New Year Holiday.
- Take Wed, Sep 23 to get 5 days off from Sep 23 to Sep 27. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Chuseok, Chuseok Holiday.
- Take Mon, Sep 28 to get 5 days off from Sep 24 to Sep 28. Uses 1 leave day; anchored by Chuseok, Chuseok Holiday.
- Take Mon, Feb 16, Fri, Feb 20 to get 9 days off from Feb 14 to Feb 22. Uses 2 leave days; anchored by Lunar New Year, Lunar New Year Holiday.
South Korea 2026 Long Weekend & Vacation Planning Guide
Discover 9 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)!
- Lunar New Year (2026-02-17, Tuesday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Monday off for a 4-day long weekend getaway (Sat–Tue)!
- Lunar New Year Holiday (2026-02-19, Thursday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Friday off for a 4-day extended mini-vacation (Thu–Sun)!
- Children's Day (2026-05-05, Tuesday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Monday off for a 4-day long weekend getaway (Sat–Tue)!
- Buddha's Birthday (2026-05-15, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Chuseok (2026-09-24, Thursday) - 4-day Bridge Weekend: Take Friday off for a 4-day extended mini-vacation (Thu–Sun)!
- Chuseok Holiday (2026-09-25, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Hangeul Day (2026-10-09, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
- Christmas Day (2026-12-25, Friday) - 3-day Weekend: Automatic 3-day weekend (Fri–Sun) with 0 days of leave needed!
South Korea Official Public Holidays 2026 Schedule
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 (2026-01-01) | Thu | New Year's Day | Public Holiday |
| Feb 17 (2026-02-17) | Tue | Lunar New Year | Public Holiday |
| Feb 18 (2026-02-18) | Wed | Lunar New Year Holiday | Public Holiday |
| Feb 19 (2026-02-19) | Thu | Lunar New Year Holiday | Public Holiday |
| Mar 1 (2026-03-01) | Sun | Independence Movement Day | Public Holiday |
| Apr 15 (2026-04-15) | Wed | Parliamentary Election Day | Public Holiday |
| May 5 (2026-05-05) | Tue | Children's Day | Public Holiday |
| May 15 (2026-05-15) | Fri | Buddha's Birthday | Public Holiday |
| Jun 6 (2026-06-06) | Sat | Memorial Day | Public Holiday |
| Aug 15 (2026-08-15) | Sat | Liberation Day | Public Holiday |
| Sep 24 (2026-09-24) | Thu | Chuseok | Public Holiday |
| Sep 25 (2026-09-25) | Fri | Chuseok Holiday | Public Holiday |
| Sep 26 (2026-09-26) | Sat | Chuseok Holiday | Public Holiday |
| Oct 3 (2026-10-03) | Sat | National Foundation Day | Public Holiday |
| Oct 9 (2026-10-09) | Fri | Hangeul Day | Public Holiday |
| Dec 25 (2026-12-25) | Fri | Christmas Day | Public Holiday |
About South Korea Holidays & Observances
South Korea observes official public holidays (gonghyuil) with alternative substitute holiday rules ensuring full long weekend leave. Commercial banks, government offices, schools, and financial institutions are typically closed on statutory public holidays.