Koreans follow the Gregorian calendar, although some
festivities, the most traditional and
rooted in Korean culture, follow the
lunar calendar. During official public holidays
bank and offices are closed, but department stores, most
restaurants, museums, palaces and amusement parks are
open. Below we list Korean public and national holidays
for 2007. In general, festivities that follow the Gregorian
calendar are held on the same day every year, while the
festivals based on the lunar calendar are held on different
dates every year.
Solar New Year (1st of January, 2007)
The first day of the solar New Year
Seollal (17th – 19th of February 2007)
Seollal, or Lunar New Year, is held on the first day
of the first month of the lunar calendar, plus the day
before and after. Seollal is, together with Chuseok, one
of the most important Korean national holidays; it lasts
three days during which Koreans visit their families,
eat special food for this festival (ttokguk and manduguk)
and play traditional games or fly kites. During Seollal
Korean families also hold memorial ceremonies to remember
their ancestors and perform a special bow to their elders,
called sebae.
Independence Movement Day (1st of March, 2007)
This Korean national holiday commemorates the declaration
of independence, which took place on the first of March
1919. The declaration is read during a ceremony held in
Tapgok Park, Seoul.
Labour Day (1st of May, 2007)
Labour Day is not a national holiday in Korea, but many
banks and offices are closed on the 1st of May.
Children’s day (5th of May, 2007)
This
day is dedicated to all Korean children, who have a day
off and their parents take them to amusement parks, zoos
or other places of interest.
Buddha’s birthday (24th of May, 2007)
Buddha’s birthday (Seokka Tanshin-il) is celebrated
on the 8th day of 4th lunar month. In occasion of this
festival, ceremonies are held in Buddhist temples all
over Korea and colourful lanterns are hung in the temples’
courtyards. The Sunday before Buddha’s birthday,
these lanterns are lit and taken around the streets during
parades.
Memorial Day (6th of June, 2007)
This Korean national holiday is dedicated to those people
who died for their country, and a special ceremony is
held at the National Cemetery in Seoul.
Constitution Day (17th of July, 2007)
This is a public holiday to commemorate the Korean constitution,
which was proclaimed on the 17th of July 1948.
Liberation Day (15th of August, 2007)
This national holiday commemorates the day when Japan
surrendered to the allied forces and Korea was liberated.
Chuseok (24th – 26th of September 2007)
Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival), also referred to as
Korean Thanksgiving Day, is held on the 14-16th days of
the eight-month of the lunar calendar. Chuseok celebrates
the harvest and is a thanksgiving for the earth’s
products. During this festivity Koreans visit their ancestral
homes and perform ceremonies.
Foundation Day (3rd of October, 2007)
National Foundation Day is a public holiday that commemorates
the foundation of the Korean nation in 2333 BC, by the
legendary god-king Dangun. A ceremony is performed on
top of Mount Manisan, in the Ganghwado province.
Christmas Day – 25th of December
Christmas is a national holiday in Korea, as about 25%
of South Korea’s population is Christian. However,
the 26th of December, or Boxing Day, is not a public holiday
in Korea.
