Starting with this year’s Independence Day (August 15), the newly passed Substitute Holiday Bill will apply to all national holidays that fall on a weekend. Therefore, Independence Day will be observed on the following Monday, August 16. On July 6, the Korean government held a cabinet meeting that passed the new Substitute Holiday Bill.
The Substitute Holiday Bill allows national holidays that land on a weekend to be observed on the following weekday.
Previously, substitute holidays were only allowed for Seollal & Chuseok Holidays, and Children’s Day. However, the new bill extends this to all national holidays in Korea. As a result, the remainder of this year will have three substitute holidays for Liberation Day, National Foundation Day, and Hangeul Day.
However, this law does not apply to workplaces with fewer than five employees.