Annual leave and public holidays in South Korea 2026
How many paid days off you get in South Korea depends on the legal minimum, your contract and the public holidays that fall on working days. The calculator above counts them for your own case. Below you will find the legal minimum, the 2026 public holidays and the family leave rules.
Your annual leave
The legal minimum in South Korea is 15 working days a year on a five-day week. In 2026, 15 public holidays fall on working days (national, on working days). In the example (15 days of leave in the contract) that makes 30 paid days off in all.
Employees who worked at least 80% of the year get 15 days of paid annual leave, plus 1 day for every 2 further years of service from the 3rd year, up to 25 days. In the first year you earn 1 day for each full month worked (up to 11). Lunar holidays and substitute holidays are shown for the years already published.
Public holidays 2026 in South Korea
| Date | Holiday | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | Take Friday off → 4 days in a row |
| Mon 16 Feb | Seollal (Lunar New Year) | |
| Tue 17 Feb | Seollal (Lunar New Year) | Take Monday off → 4 days in a row |
| Wed 18 Feb | Seollal (Lunar New Year) | |
| Sun 1 Mar | Independence Movement Day | weekend |
| Mon 2 Mar | Substitute holiday | |
| Fri 1 May | Workers’ Day | |
| Tue 5 May | Children’s Day | Take Monday off → 4 days in a row |
| Sun 24 May | Buddha’s Birthday | weekend |
| Mon 25 May | Substitute holiday | |
| Wed 3 Jun | Local election day | |
| Sat 6 Jun | Memorial Day | weekend |
| Sat 15 Aug | Liberation Day | weekend |
| Mon 17 Aug | Substitute holiday | |
| Thu 24 Sept | Chuseok | Take Friday off → 4 days in a row |
| Fri 25 Sept | Chuseok | |
| Sat 26 Sept | Chuseok | weekend |
| Sat 3 Oct | National Foundation Day | weekend |
| Mon 5 Oct | Substitute holiday | |
| Fri 9 Oct | Hangul Day | |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day |
Family leave
- Maternity leave: 90 days (120 for twins or more) · Pay: Full pay; the employment insurance covers part (up to 2.1 million won a month)
- Paternity leave: 20 working days · Pay: Full pay
- Parental leave: Up to 1 year per parent (1.5 years if both take at least 3 months), until the child is 8 · Pay: Employment insurance: 100% up to 2.5 million won (months 1–3), then up to 2 million and 1.6 million
- Sick leave: No legal paid sick leave (only by contract or rules of employment) · Pay: –
Frequently asked questions
How many days of annual leave do I get in South Korea?
At least 15 working days a year on a five-day week. Many contracts and collective agreements give more.
How many public holidays are there in South Korea in 2026?
21 national public holidays, of which 15 fall on working days. Regional holidays can add more.
What leave do parents get?
For example, Maternity leave: 90 days (120 for twins or more) (Full pay; the employment insurance covers part (up to 2.1 million won a month)). The table above lists the main family leave types.
Are these figures exact?
They follow the national rules for 2026. Your contract, a collective agreement or regional holidays can give more days off.
Rules and official sources: see “Rules applied (2026)” above. Last checked: October 2026. The amounts are estimates for information, not financial or legal advice.