Christmas Day

Christmas Day in South Korea is December 25 and one of the country’s religion-linked national public holidays. Christianity grew substantially through nineteenth- and twentieth-century Catholic and Protestant missions, Korean churches, education and social organisations, while also experiencing persecution, colonial rule, war and division. Modern South Korea contains large Christian communities alongside Buddhists, adherents of other faiths and people with no religious affiliation, so public-holiday status does not imply universal Christian belief.

Churches hold worship, carols, charity drives and community meals. City centres, department stores and neighbourhoods use lights, trees and seasonal displays, and younger adults may treat Christmas as a social or couples’ occasion. Family gift customs are generally less central than in some Western countries. Visitors should distinguish commercial imagery from worship and respect congregations’ rules during services.

Christmas falls on Friday in 2026 and requires no substitute. Government offices, most banks and covered private workplaces close, while retail, hospitality, transport and church operations follow busy holiday schedules. Government offices and most banks close. Under Labour Standards Act Article 55, workplaces ordinarily employing five or more workers must provide government-office public holidays and substitute holidays as paid holidays; smaller workplaces are not automatically covered by that provision. Essential services and businesses using holiday rosters may operate under separate lawful arrangements.