Korean Holidays Explained
Liberation Day
In 2026: Sat, August 15Public holiday
See the 2026 holiday calendar →Where it comes from
Celebrates liberation from Japanese colonial rule on August 15, 1945, and the founding of the government on the same date in 1948.
What people do
Flags fly everywhere and there's a national ceremony; some historic sites open free.
What to say
광복절에는 태극기를 달아요.gwangbokjeoreneun taegeukgireul darayo.We fly the national flag on Liberation Day.