National Holidays

Koreans officially follow the Gregorian calendar, though some holidays are based on the lunar calendar. During the official holidays, offices and banks are closed but palaces, museums, most restaurants, department stores, and amusement facilities are open. Seollal and Chuseok are the most important traditional holidays for Koreans. Some Korean holidays are similar to that of the rest of the world like New Year and Christmas. However, there are some holidays that are intrinsic to Korean society.

New Year's Day (January 1)
Koreans celebrate both the solar new year and the lunar new year. In addition to January 1st, the 2nd is also a holiday. The first day back at work after the holidays is usually a time of speeches looking forward to the coming business year.

Sollal - Lunar New Year (January 29-31)
Koreans celebrate both the solar new year and the lunar new year. The day before and after the first day of the first new moon are also holidays, for a total of three days off. During this period the highways are jammed with families visiting their hometowns and paying respects at the ancestors' graves .
 

Independence Movement Day (March 1)



 March 1, 1919, marked the beginning of the Korean Independence Movement On this day, independence fighters announced Korea's declaration of independence from Japanese colonialism. In response, Japanese police and military forces killed and injured thousands of unarmed protestors.
Children's Day (May 5)
May 5th represents a day of celebration for children, both young and old. Amusements parks, zoos, and national parks become crowded with families enjoying the holiday in the spring weather.

Memorial Day (June 6)
June 6 denotes the day set aside for citizens to remember those who died for their country. Civilians and soldiers alike are honored in ceremonies held throughout the country, especially at Seoul's National Cemetery.

Constitution Day (July 17)
July 17 marks the day in 1948 when the Republic of Korea's Constitution was proclaimed. A day of celebrations and memorials recognizes the cornerstone of the new republic.

Liberation Day (August 15)  

with the official surrender of Japan to the Allied forces on August 15, 1945, the 35-year colonization of Korea by the Japanese came to an end. August 15, 1948 also marks the establishment of the Republic of Korea.

Harvest Moon Festival (Cheosok)- 14-16th days of 8th month (Sept. 26-28)


 The full harvest moon festival occurs on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, and is similar to the American Thanksgiving holidays. The day before 14th and 16th of the 8th lunar month are also holidays, giving a total of three days off to allow people time to visit their hometowns. As the most important of all Korean holidays, during this period people jam the highways to visit their hometowns and family members. Similar to the lunar new year holidays, family members pay respect to their living relatives and visit the graves of their ancestors. Family members exchange gifts and play special games.

Foundation Day (October 3)

According to legend, the god-king Tan-gun founded the Chosen Kingdom in 2333 B.C. This day fills citizens with nationalistic pride over the 4,000+ year history of Korea.

Christmas Day (December 25)
although not yet as commercialized as Christmas in America, the large number of Korean Christians ensure that this is a time of celebration. More and more businesses have begun putting up decorations and selling Western style Christmas cards. Due to its proximity to the end of the year, many Koreans prefer to give New Year gifts instead of Christmas gifts.