There are 15 public holidays in South Korea in 2023, three of which fall on weekends: Saturday and Sunday.
New Year's Day
New Year Holiday, celebrated on January 1, 2023, is the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar, and it is one of the most popular holidays in the world.
Seollal
Seollal is one of the most important traditional Korean holidays, and it is a great time for a family union. Like Chinese New Year traditions, during the festival, people visit families, perform ancestral rites and eat traditional food. It falls on January 22 to 24, 2023.
Independence Movement Day
Independence Movement Day, observed on March 1, 2023, commemorates the starting day of the protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan on March 1, 1919.
Children's Day
Children's Day in Korea, observed on May 5, 2023, started from the Independence Movement Day to achieve Korean independence from Japanese colonialism when people tried to improve children's social status and encourage adults to teach awareness of their deprived sovereignty.
Buddha's Birthday
Buddha's Birthday is one of the most important Buddhist holidays. It falls on the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Buddhist calendar, May 27, 2023.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a public holiday in South Korea on June 6, 2023. The holiday commemorates those South Koreans who sacrificed their lives during the military services, including the Korean War and many other wars South Koreans fought.
Liberation Day
Liberation Day, observed on August 15, 2023, commemorates the victory over Japan during World War II, when Japan's surrender was announced on August 15, 1945. On this day, the United States and Soviet forces helped end the Japanese colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945.
Chuseok
Chuseok, observed on September 28 to 30, 2023, is also a festival for people to perform ancestral worship rituals. People will visit and clean the area of the tombs of their immediate ancestors during the festival.
National Foundation Day
National Foundation Day, observed on October 3, 2023, celebrates the date of the formation of the first Korean state of Goosen. This first Korean kingdom was established in 2333 BC by Dangun, the grandson of heaven. According to the legend, the son of the Lord of Heaven founded the City of God in the Baekdu Mountain and married a bear-woman, who gave birth to Dangun.
Hangul Day
Hangul Day, observed on October 9, 2023, celebrates the invention and the proclamation of the alphabet of the Korean writing system, known as Hangul. Before the creation of Hangul, Koreans primarily used Chinese characters (hanja) in writing, which was difficult for Koreans to learn because of the fundamental differences between the Korean and Chinese languages, such as the sounds and grammar.
Christmas Day
Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25, 2023, and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Christmas Day is a holiday of sharing. People exchange Christmas gifts and cards with families and friends.
The following is the list of public holidays in South Korea 2023.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 01, 2023 | Sunday | Public Holiday |
| Seollal Holiday | Jan 22, 2023 | Sunday | Public Holiday |
| Seollal | Jan 23, 2023 | Monday | Public Holiday |
| Seollal Holiday | Jan 24, 2023 | Tuesday | Public Holiday |
| Independence Movement Day | Mar 01, 2023 | Wednesday | Public Holiday |
| Children's Day | May 05, 2023 | Friday | Public Holiday |
| Buddha's Birthday | May 27, 2023 | Saturday | Public Holiday |
| Memorial Day | Jun 06, 2023 | Tuesday | Public Holiday |
| Liberation Day | Aug 15, 2023 | Tuesday | Public Holiday |
| Chuseok | Sep 28, 2023 | Thursday | Public Holiday |
| Chuseok Holiday | Sep 29, 2023 | Friday | Public Holiday |
| Chuseok Holiday | Sep 30, 2023 | Saturday | Public Holiday |
| National Foundation Day | Oct 03, 2023 | Tuesday | Public Holiday |
| Hangul Day | Oct 09, 2023 | Monday | Public Holiday |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25, 2023 | Monday | Public Holiday |
* Please also check the working holidays in South Korea in 2023.