Liberation Day (South Korea)

Liberation Day is a public holiday in South and North Korea, observed on August 15 each year.

Liberation Day 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.

In 1910, the Japanese forced Korea to sign the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, and Korea became a colony of Japan. Many independence movements, including the Independence Movement Day in 1919, took place across the country during Japanese rule.

In 1945, the Allies liberated the Korean Peninsula, and Korea finally opposed Japanese colonization. On August 15, 1948, the independent Korean government was established.

The following is the list of Liberation Day in South Korea from 2022 to 2026.

Please check more public holidays in South Korea: