10 days off for 1 day of leave
Long weekends 2028 in South Korea
South Korea has 19 public holidays in 2028, and 18 of them land on a weekday. Your best deal is 30 September to 9 October: 1 day of leave turns into 10 days off in a row.
- Bank holidays 2028
- 19
- on weekdays
- 18
- bridge days
- 3
- off for 1 day of annual leave
- 10 days
South Korea in 2028 at a glance
South Korea has 19 public holidays in 2028, taken from the official government list. 1 falls on a weekend.
Leave rules differ by employer and contract in South Korea, so the planner shows every budget from one to ten days. Among the 14 countries we cover outside our main markets, South Korea ranks number 1 for full days off this year.
Every public holiday in South Korea in 2028
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.
SeouliPhoto: 라성민 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons- Saturday, January 1: 새해. New Year's Day on 1 January is a quiet day; Korea celebrates the big family new year at Seollal. Many people watch the first sunrise on the east coast. It falls on a Saturday, and South Korea's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2028.
- Wednesday, January 26: 설날. Seollal, the Lunar New Year, is one of Korea's two great family holidays. People travel to their hometowns, honour ancestors and eat tteokguk, rice cake soup, over a three day break. That makes 5 days off in a row without using any leave, 26 to 30 January.
- Thursday, January 27: 설날. Seollal, the Lunar New Year, is one of Korea's two great family holidays. People travel to their hometowns, honour ancestors and eat tteokguk, rice cake soup, over a three day break. You get 5 free days in a row, 26 to 30 January, with no leave needed.
- Friday, January 28: 설날. Seollal, the Lunar New Year, is one of Korea's two great family holidays. People travel to their hometowns, honour ancestors and eat tteokguk, rice cake soup, over a three day break. That makes 5 days off in a row without using any leave, 26 to 30 January.
- Wednesday, March 1: 3·1절. Independence Movement Day on 1 March remembers the 1919 movement against Japanese rule. Ceremonies take place nationwide, and spring is close. Take Monday, February 28 and Tuesday, February 29 off and you have 5 days in a row, 26 February to 1 March.
- Wednesday, April 12: 국회의원 선거일. Election day is a public holiday in Korea so that everyone can vote. Many people vote early in the morning and use the rest of the day for a short outing. Take Monday, April 10 and Tuesday, April 11 off and you have 5 days in a row, 8 to 12 April.
- Monday, May 1: 노동절. Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and sits at the start of the spring travel season, often close to Children's Day. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 29 April to 2 May.
- Tuesday, May 2: 부처님 오신 날. Buddha's Birthday is celebrated with lanterns hung in temples and the Lotus Lantern Festival in Seoul. Temple stays are popular on this day. You get 4 free days in a row, 29 April to 2 May, with no leave needed.
- Friday, May 5: 어린이날. Children's Day on 5 May is a day of family outings, amusement parks and gifts for children, in the middle of the spring travel season. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 5 to 7 May.
- Tuesday, June 6: 현충일. Memorial Day on 6 June honours those who died for the country, with a siren and a minute of silence at 10 a.m. Take Monday, June 5 off and you have 4 days in a row, 3 to 6 June.
- Monday, July 17: 제헌절. Constitution Day on 17 July marks the proclamation of the 1948 constitution. It falls at the start of the summer holiday season. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 15 to 17 July.
- Tuesday, August 15: 광복절. Liberation Day on 15 August marks the end of Japanese rule in 1945. Flags fly across the country in the middle of summer holidays. Take Monday, August 14 off and you have 4 days in a row, 12 to 15 August.
- Monday, October 2: 추석. Chuseok, the harvest moon festival, is Korea's biggest family holiday. Over three days, people travel home, visit ancestors' graves and share songpyeon rice cakes. That makes 6 days off in a row without using any leave, 30 September to 5 October.
- Tuesday, October 3: 개천절. National Foundation Day on 3 October celebrates the legendary founding of the first Korean kingdom. It often brings an autumn long weekend. You get 6 free days in a row, 30 September to 5 October, with no leave needed.
- Tuesday, October 3: 추석. Chuseok, the harvest moon festival, is Korea's biggest family holiday. Over three days, people travel home, visit ancestors' graves and share songpyeon rice cakes. You get 6 free days in a row, 30 September to 5 October, with no leave needed.
- Wednesday, October 4: 추석. Chuseok, the harvest moon festival, is Korea's biggest family holiday. Over three days, people travel home, visit ancestors' graves and share songpyeon rice cakes. That makes 6 days off in a row without using any leave, 30 September to 5 October.
- Thursday, October 5: 추석 대체 휴일. A substitute holiday: when a major holiday falls on a weekend or another holiday, the next weekday is given off, so the break keeps its length. You get 6 free days in a row, 30 September to 5 October, with no leave needed.
- Monday, October 9: 한글날. Hangul Day on 9 October celebrates the Korean alphabet created under King Sejong. It is a popular autumn day for short trips to see the foliage. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 7 to 9 October.
- Monday, December 25: 크리스마스. Christmas in Korea is a public holiday, often spent by couples and friends in the festive city lights rather than with family. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 23 to 25 December.
SeouliPhoto: 라성민 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe best breaks in 2028, explained
Each break below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one public holiday, and needs no more than 10 days of leave. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
22 to 30 January: 2 days of leave (January 24 and January 25) around 설날 give 9 days off, 4.5 days for every day used.
26 February to 1 March: 2 days of leave (February 28 and February 29) around 3·1절 give 5 days off, 2.5 days for every day used.
29 April to 7 May: 2 days of leave (May 3 and May 4) around 노동절, 부처님 오신 날 and 어린이날 give 9 days off, 4.5 days for every day used.
Around 현충일, 1 day of leave on Mon June 5 unlocks 4 days away, 3 to 6 June.
Around 광복절, 1 day of leave on Mon August 14 unlocks 4 days away, 12 to 15 August.
Around 추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일 and 한글날, 1 day of leave on Fri October 6 unlocks 10 days away, 30 September to 9 October.
The best breaks 2028 in South Korea
Every row is a run of weekends, public holidays and days of leave. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Leave on | Bank holidays | School holidays | Plan a trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 25 to Sun, Jan 2 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Dec 28 · Wed, Dec 29 · Thu, Dec 30 · Fri, Dec 31 | 크리스마스, 기독탄신일 대체 휴일, 새해 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jan 22 to Sun, Jan 30 | 9 days offfor 2 days of annual leave, 4.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jan 24 · Tue, Jan 25 | 설날 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Feb 26 to Wed, Mar 1 | 5 days offfor 2 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Feb 28 · Tue, Feb 29 | 3·1절 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 8 to Wed, Apr 12 | 5 days offfor 2 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Apr 10 · Tue, Apr 11 | 국회의원 선거일 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 29 to Sun, May 7 | 9 days offfor 2 days of annual leave, 4.5 days off per day of leave | Wed, May 3 · Thu, May 4 | 노동절, 부처님 오신 날, 어린이날 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jun 3 to Tue, Jun 6 | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jun 5 | 현충일 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jul 15 to Sun, Jul 23 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Jul 18 · Wed, Jul 19 · Thu, Jul 20 · Fri, Jul 21 | 제헌절 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Aug 12 to Tue, Aug 15 | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Mon, Aug 14 | 광복절 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Sep 30 to Mon, Oct 9 | 10 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 10 days off per day of leave | Fri, Oct 6 | 추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일, 한글날 | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Dec 23 to Sun, Dec 31 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Dec 26 · Wed, Dec 27 · Thu, Dec 28 · Fri, Dec 29 | 크리스마스 | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 days of leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2028.
1 day of annual leave
10 days
September 30 to October 9
추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일, 한글날
5 days of annual leave
16 days
September 30 to October 15
추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일, 한글날
6 days of annual leave
17 days
September 23 to October 9
추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일, 한글날
10 days of annual leave
23 days
September 23 to October 15
추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일, 한글날
2028 calendar for South Korea
- Bank holiday
- Annual leave in a break
- Weekend
- School holidays
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
How far each day of leave goes in 2028
With 1 day of leave the longest run you can build is 10 days, 30 September to 9 October. Three days stretch to 10 days off (30 September to 9 October). Five days, a typical week, become 16 days off around 추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일 and 한글날, 30 September to 15 October.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 23 days in a row, 23 September to 15 October. For nine days or more away you need 1 day of leave.
When the public holidays fall in 2028
Winter: 새해 on January 1, 설날 on January 26, 설날 on January 27, 설날 on January 28 and 크리스마스 on December 25. The pick of the season is 22 to 30 January with 2 days of leave for 9 days off.
Spring: 3·1절 on March 1, 국회의원 선거일 on April 12, 노동절 on May 1, 부처님 오신 날 on May 2 and 어린이날 on May 5. The pick of the season is 29 April to 7 May with 2 days of leave for 9 days off.
Summer: 현충일 on June 6, 제헌절 on July 17 and 광복절 on August 15. The pick of the season is 3 to 6 June with 1 day of leave for 4 days off.
Autumn: 추석 on October 2, 개천절 on October 3, 추석 on October 3, 추석 on October 4, 추석 대체 휴일 on October 5 and 한글날 on October 9. The pick of the season is 30 September to 9 October with 1 day of leave for 10 days off.
How South Korea stacks up
South Korea leads the list with 19 public holidays in 2028, Mexico the fewest with 6.
MexicoIts best break, 30 September to 9 October, returns 10.0 days off per day of leave. No other country in our data does better this year.
Mexico
Long Weekend Planner 2028 for South Korea as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in KR on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Public holidays 2028 in South Korea
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Saturday | 새해 | nationwide |
| January 26 | Wednesday | 설날 | nationwide |
| January 27 | Thursday | 설날 | nationwide |
| January 28 | Friday | 설날 | nationwide |
| March 1 | Wednesday | 3·1절 | nationwide |
| April 12 | Wednesday | 국회의원 선거일 | nationwide |
| May 1 | Monday | 노동절 | nationwide |
| May 2 | Tuesday | 부처님 오신 날 | nationwide |
| May 5 | Friday | 어린이날 | nationwide |
| June 6 | Tuesday | 현충일 | nationwide |
| July 17 | Monday | 제헌절 | nationwide |
| August 15 | Tuesday | 광복절 | nationwide |
| October 2 | Monday | 추석 | nationwide |
| October 3 | Tuesday | 개천절 | nationwide |
| October 3 | Tuesday | 추석 | nationwide |
| October 4 | Wednesday | 추석 | nationwide |
| October 5 | Thursday | 추석 대체 휴일 | nationwide |
| October 9 | Monday | 한글날 | nationwide |
| December 25 | Monday | 크리스마스 | nationwide |
Getaways for your 2028 breaks
Koreans spend long weekends on Jeju Island in spring and summer, in Gyeongju for history in autumn, and in Seoraksan National Park for the autumn foliage. Busan's beaches are the classic summer escape.
Jeju IslandiPhoto: Bernard Gagnon · CC0 · Wikimedia CommonsYour strongest breaks this year fall in January, February and April, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in South Korea has the same days off.
Jeju IslandiPhoto: Bernard Gagnon · CC0 · Wikimedia CommonsSouth Korea in other years
2026 and 2027 are planned as well, each with its own dates and breaks.
Holiday dates move every year: fixed-date days change their weekday, and Easter moves between late March and late April, which is why the best breaks are never the same twice.
Where these dates come from
Every date on this page comes from the official source for South Korea, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another country's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full public holidays as free days and works out where your days of leave turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of South Korea or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on October 1, 2026.
Long Weekend Planner 2028 in KR: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does South Korea have in 2028?
19 public holidays: 새해 on January 1, 설날 on January 26, 설날 on January 27, 설날 on January 28, 3·1절 on March 1, 국회의원 선거일 on April 12, 노동절 on May 1, 부처님 오신 날 on May 2, 어린이날 on May 5, 현충일 on June 6, 제헌절 on July 17, 광복절 on August 15, 추석 on October 2, 개천절 on October 3, 추석 on October 3, 추석 on October 4, 추석 대체 휴일 on October 5, 한글날 on October 9 and 크리스마스 on December 25. 18 fall on a weekday.
What is the best long weekend in South Korea in 2028?
30 September to 9 October: 1 day of leave gives 10 days off around 추석, 개천절, 추석, 추석 대체 휴일 and 한글날.
How many days of leave do I need for nine days off in 2028?
1 day of leave: take October 6 off and you are off 30 September to 9 October.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in South Korea in 2028?
No. Good Friday is not on South Korea's official list for 2028, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in South Korea in 2028?
No. Christmas Eve is not on South Korea's official list for 2028, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
2028 in the other countries
How the Long Weekend Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in KR, checked date by date. The planner counts only days off for the whole region.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 days of annual leave. Ranked by days off per day of leave; Saturday and Sunday count as free.
School holidays: officially published dates only, checked every month. Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the region's main airport.
