[Fact Check] Chuseok's '7-Day Golden Holiday' Ends… When Will the Next Long Holiday Be?

Chuseok holidays in 2028 and 2031 will be 6 days long… Taking one day off can extend it to a maximum of 9-10 days.

In 2033 and 2041, a four-day holiday will be formed by linking Children's Day and Buddha's Birthday.

Farewell Time Passengers bid farewell at Seoul Station on October 9th, the last day of the Chuseok holiday. [Yonhap News Photo]

This year's Chuseok holiday was special for office workers. The Chuseok holiday, combined with National Foundation Day and the weekend, allowed for a full 7 days of rest.

Furthermore, if one took a day of annual leave on Friday (the 10th), the holiday period would extend to 10 days.

When will such a 'golden holiday' occur again? We looked into the long holidays for the next 25 years.

First, long holidays are limited to the Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok holidays. This is because the holiday itself is the longest at 3 days. When combined with the weekend, it allows for 5 days of rest.

To have a long holiday like this year's, it requires the coincidence of being adjacent to other public holidays. The possibility for this exists only with the Chuseok holiday.

In other words, if the Chuseok holiday falls on a weekend and is also connected to National Foundation Day (October 3rd) or Hangeul Day (October 9th) before or after, the holiday can be extended by more than 5 days.

Gyeongbokgung Palace Crowded with Families and Tourists Citizens pass through Gwanghwamun at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on October 8th, the sixth day of the Chuseok holiday. [Yonhap News Photo]

Such a coincidence will occur in 2028, three years from now.

In that year, the Chuseok holiday (October 2-4) will be preceded by a Saturday and Sunday, and an additional compensatory holiday will be granted as it overlaps with National Foundation Day. Therefore, the holiday period will be 6 days, from September 30th to October 5th.

Additionally, by taking one day of leave on Friday (October 6th), the holiday period will extend to a maximum of 10 days, connecting with the weekend and Hangeul Day.

A similar situation will unfold in 2031. The Chuseok holiday (September 30-October 2) and National Foundation Day (October 3rd) will be connected by the weekend, resulting in a base holiday of 6 days.

Furthermore, by taking leave on the Monday before the Chuseok holiday (September 29th), one can have a maximum of 9 days off.

 [Provided by Yonhap News TV]

In 2036, a long holiday will be possible thanks to the 'magic' of the compensatory holiday system.

The initial public holiday arrangement is the worst-case scenario for office workers. The Chuseok holiday (October 3-5) falls on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, coinciding with National Foundation Day and the weekend, resulting in only 3 days off.

However, with the occurrence of two compensatory holidays, the holiday period will extend to five days, from October 3rd to 7th. By taking annual leave on October 8th, the holiday can be extended to a maximum of 7 days, leading up to Hangeul Day.

According to the 'Regulations on Public Holidays,' compensatory holidays are granted when the Chuseok holiday ▲ overlaps with a Sunday or ▲ overlaps with another weekday public holiday. If multiple such reasons coincide, multiple compensatory holidays are granted.

In other words, in 2036, two compensatory holidays will be granted because the Chuseok holiday not only coincides with National Foundation Day on a Friday but also with a Sunday.

This situation will occur again in 2039.

At that time, the Chuseok holiday (October 1-3) will coincide with a Sunday and National Foundation Day, resulting in two compensatory holidays and extending the holiday to five days. However, it will not be a consecutive holiday with Hangeul Day.

Chuseok Holiday [Screenshot from Samsung Galaxy smartphone calendar app. Yonhap News Photo]

The next long holiday after 2039 will be in 2044. In that year, the Chuseok holiday (October 4-6) will be preceded by the weekend and National Foundation Day, resulting in a 6-day holiday.

Additionally, since Hangeul Day falls on a Sunday, the following day will be a compensatory holiday. Therefore, by taking one day of leave on Friday (October 7th), which falls between the Chuseok holiday and the weekend, one can enjoy a continuous 10-day break from October 1st to October 10th.

In 2047, the Chuseok holiday (October 3-5) will overlap with National Foundation Day and a Saturday, resulting in one compensatory holiday (Monday) and a base holiday of 5 days.

By taking one day of leave on October 8th, which falls between the holiday and Hangeul Day (October 9th), one can have a maximum of 7 days off.

'Back to Daily Life' On October 9th, the last day of the Chuseok holiday, travelers board trains at Ulsan Station on the KTX. [Yonhap News Photo]

In 2050, the Chuseok holiday (September 29-October 1) will coincide with the weekend and National Foundation Day, extending the holiday to 5 days.

There are other long holidays besides the ones mentioned. Seollal and Chuseok holidays are typically 3 days long, but they can be extended to 4 or 5 days when they overlap or are connected with the weekend.

If Seollal or Chuseok holidays fall on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, it results in only 3 days off. However, this can be advantageous for those who can freely take annual leave. By taking leave on a Monday or Friday, the holiday can be extended to 6 days.

Examples include the Chuseok holiday in 2027, the Seollal holiday in 2032, and the Chuseok holiday in 2034.

There will be long holidays in May in 2033 and 2041.

In 2033, Children's Day (May 5th), Buddha's Birthday (May 6th), and the weekend will fall consecutively, allowing for four consecutive days off.

In 2041, Children's Day falls on a Sunday, making the following day a compensatory holiday. Additionally, the day after that is Buddha's Birthday (May 7th), resulting in a four-day holiday. Yonhap News