Lunar New Year May Be Over, But Multiple Nine-Day Breaks Are Coming

Many Substitute Holidays This Year...Up to Nine Days Off Possible
Available in March, May, June, September, and October

On the 13th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, a traveler at Seoul Station is waving as they board a Korea Train Express (KTX) train bound for their hometown. Photo by Yoon Dongju

With the five-day Lunar New Year holiday now over, many public holidays this year fall on weekends, which will result in numerous substitute holidays. As a result, office workers who use their annual leave strategically will be able to enjoy breaks of up to nine consecutive days.

Starting as early as March, Independence Movement Day on the 1st falls on a Sunday, so Monday the 2nd has been designated as a substitute holiday. This effectively creates a three-day weekend from Friday to Monday. In May, Buddha's Birthday (the 24th) also falls on a Sunday, making Monday the 25th a day off, and in August Liberation Day (the 15th) and in October National Foundation Day (the 3rd) both fall on Saturdays, allowing for three-day weekends in each of those months as well.

In early May, taking just one day of annual leave can create a five-day break. Most office workers are off on the 1st for Labor Day, and if they use a vacation day on Monday the 4th, the holiday period is completed by Children's Day on the 5th.

In June, it is also possible to build a long holiday by using the public holidays as stepping stones. This June will see the ninth nationwide local elections, and if workers take two days of annual leave on Thursday and Friday after Election Day on Wednesday the 3rd, they can enjoy a five-day break through Sunday the 7th. However, Memorial Day on Saturday the 6th is a statutory holiday but a national day of remembrance rather than a national foundation day, so it is excluded from eligibility for a substitute holiday.

In September and October, it will be possible to take a long break of up to nine days. In September, if workers add three days of annual leave from Monday the 21st to Wednesday the 23rd ahead of the Chuseok holidays (from the 24th to the 28th), they can enjoy nine consecutive days off from Saturday the 19th through Sunday the 27th.

In the following month of October, if they take three additional days of annual leave after the substitute holiday for National Foundation Day on Monday the 5th, they can again secure up to nine consecutive days off, running through Friday the 9th, which is Hangeul Day, and ending on Sunday the 11th.