Public holidays
North Korea: 21 public holiday dates in 2026 (21 days off) and 22 in 2027 (22 days off), with 248 working days in 2026 and 247 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 8 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | Founding Day of the Korean People's Army | Yes |
| Monday 16 February 2026 | 2026-W08 | Day of the Shining Star | Yes |
| Tuesday 17 February 2026 | 2026-W08 | Day of the Shining Star | Yes |
| Tuesday 3 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | Daeboreum | Yes |
| Sunday 8 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | International Women's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 5 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Cheongmyeong Festival | Yes |
| Wednesday 15 April 2026 | 2026-W16 | Day of the Sun | Yes |
| Thursday 16 April 2026 | 2026-W16 | Day of the Sun | Yes |
| Saturday 25 April 2026 | 2026-W17 | Founding Day of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | International Workers' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 6 June 2026 | 2026-W23 | Foundation Day of the Korean Children's Union | Yes |
| Monday 27 July 2026 | 2026-W31 | Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War | Yes |
| Saturday 15 August 2026 | 2026-W33 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 25 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Day of Songun | Yes |
| Friday 28 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Youth Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 9 September 2026 | 2026-W37 | Founding Day of the DPRK | Yes |
| Friday 25 September 2026 | 2026-W39 | Chuseok | Yes |
| Saturday 10 October 2026 | 2026-W41 | Foundation Day of the Workers' Party of Korea | Yes |
| Monday 16 November 2026 | 2026-W47 | Mother's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 27 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Socialist Constitution Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 7 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | Korean New Year | Yes |
| Monday 8 February 2027 | 2027-W06 | Founding Day of the Korean People's Army | Yes |
| Tuesday 16 February 2027 | 2027-W07 | Day of the Shining Star | Yes |
| Wednesday 17 February 2027 | 2027-W07 | Day of the Shining Star | Yes |
| Sunday 21 February 2027 | 2027-W07 | Daeboreum | Yes |
| Monday 8 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | International Women's Day | Yes |
| Monday 5 April 2027 | 2027-W14 | Cheongmyeong Festival | Yes |
| Thursday 15 April 2027 | 2027-W15 | Day of the Sun | Yes |
| Friday 16 April 2027 | 2027-W15 | Day of the Sun | Yes |
| Sunday 25 April 2027 | 2027-W16 | Founding Day of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | International Workers' Day | Yes |
| Sunday 6 June 2027 | 2027-W22 | Foundation Day of the Korean Children's Union | Yes |
| Tuesday 27 July 2027 | 2027-W30 | Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War | Yes |
| Sunday 15 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 25 August 2027 | 2027-W34 | Day of Songun | Yes |
| Saturday 28 August 2027 | 2027-W34 | Youth Day | Yes |
| Thursday 9 September 2027 | 2027-W36 | Founding Day of the DPRK | Yes |
| Wednesday 15 September 2027 | 2027-W37 | Chuseok | Yes |
| Sunday 10 October 2027 | 2027-W40 | Foundation Day of the Workers' Party of Korea | Yes |
| Tuesday 16 November 2027 | 2027-W46 | Mother's Day | Yes |
| Monday 27 December 2027 | 2027-W52 | Socialist Constitution Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daeboreum | Tuesday 3 March 2026 | Sunday 21 February 2027 | −11 days, changes month |
| Chuseok | Friday 25 September 2026 | Wednesday 15 September 2027 | −10 days |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| February | 18 | 17 | −1 |
| March | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| April | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| May | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| August | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| September | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| December | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| Q1 | 60 | 59 | −1 |
| Q2 | 62 | 62 | 0 |
| Q3 | 61 | 62 | +1 |
| Q4 | 65 | 64 | −1 |
| Year | 248 | 247 | −1 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
8 February. The Korean People's Army was established on 8 February 1948 and the day was celebrated as Army Day until 1978, when it was moved to 25 April. It was moved back to 8 February in 2015.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
16 February is the birthday of Kim Jong Il, and the second most important holiday in North Korea. It is a two-day holiday.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
Daeboreum, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, is a traditional holiday based on the Korean calendar.
At work: A day off. Welcome to mention.
Celebrated on 8 March, it commemorates women's fight for equality and the women's rights movement, and gives focus to gender equality, reproductive rights and violence against women. It grew out of labour movements in Europe and North America in the early 20th century, and is a public holiday in the countries listed.
At work: Welcome to mention. In several countries it is a day off; the card shows the official days off.
15 April is the birthday of Kim Il Sung, the founder and first leader, and the most important holiday in North Korea. It is a three-day holiday.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. Expect a break of about three days.
25 April is the date of the formation of Kim Il Sung's guerrilla. It was celebrated as Army Day from 1978 to 2015.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
6 June is a public holiday marking the 1946 foundation of the Korean Children's Union.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
27 July marks the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
15 August, established after the liberation of Korea in 1945.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
25 August is a holiday established in 2013 that commemorates the inspection visit of Kim Jong Il to the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su Guards 105th Armored Division of the Korean People's Army on 25 August 1960. The North Korean government regards it as the start of the Songun revolutionary leadership.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
28 August commemorates the founding of the Youth Communist League of Korea in 1927.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
9 September is the Day of the Foundation of the Republic, one of the other holidays of great importance in North Korea.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
A major Korean mid-autumn harvest festival on the full moon of the eighth lunar month. In South Korea it lasts three days, including the days before and after the full moon, while in North Korea it is a single day. Koreans visit their ancestral hometowns and share a feast of traditional food such as songpyeon. Two traditions go with it: charye, a memorial service for ancestors, and visiting ancestors' graves.
At work: Very welcome to mention. In South Korea the three days are days off, and many people travel to their hometowns, so plan for a quiet week.
10 October marks the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea in 1945. It is one of the other holidays of great importance in North Korea.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
A day to honour mothers. The date differs by country: in the United States it is the second Sunday of May, in Lithuania the first Sunday of May, in Latvia and Samoa the second Sunday of May, and in Madagascar the last Sunday of May. Other countries tie it to another day: Costa Rica to 15 August (the Assumption of Mary), Panama to 8 December (the Immaculate Conception), Syria to the spring equinox, and Georgia to 3 March. Tajikistan celebrates it on 8 March, with International Women's Day.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Check which day the colleague celebrates, since it is not the same everywhere; the card shows the date.
27 December marks the enactment of the Socialist Constitution of North Korea in 1972.
At work: Keep it neutral; the holiday is a day off in North Korea. A day off.
The start of the year in the traditional lunisolar calendar, also called the Spring Festival, celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. Customs include red envelopes, firecrackers, lion and dragon dances and red lanterns. Korea celebrates its own lunar New Year as Seollal and Vietnam as Tết.
At work: Very welcome to mention. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture, so plan deadlines and shipments around it.
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