Public holidays in North Korea in 2026 include major state anniversaries, commemorative dates and holidays associated with the country's political and military history. Because a comprehensive official 2026 holiday calendar is not readily available from a central DPRK government portal, this page uses a conservative dataset based on DPRK legal material and current state-media reporting rather than treating every date listed by commercial holiday calendars as officially confirmed.
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Next Public Holiday in North Korea
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 27, 2026 | Sunday | Constitution Day | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in North Korea 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 16, 2026 | Monday | Birth Anniversary of Kim Jong Il / Day of the Shining Star | Confirmed |
| April 15, 2026 | Wednesday | Birth Anniversary of Kim Il Sung / Day of the Sun | Confirmed |
| April 25, 2026 | Saturday | Founding Anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army | Confirmed |
| July 27, 2026 | Monday | Day of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War | Confirmed |
| September 9, 2026 | Wednesday | Founding Day of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea | Confirmed |
| October 10, 2026 | Saturday | Party Foundation Day | Confirmed |
| December 27, 2026 | Sunday | Constitution Day | Confirmed |
How North Korea's Major State Holidays Are Identified
North Korea's holiday system includes anniversaries connected with the founding of the state, the Workers' Party of Korea, the country's constitutional system, military history and the birth anniversaries of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
The DPRK National Flag Law provides useful legal evidence for identifying major state holidays. It requires national flag-hoisting ceremonies on April 15, February 16, the Day of the Foundation of the Republic, Party Foundation Day, Constitution Day, Military Foundation Day and the Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War.
Current reports from the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, also document how particular anniversaries are officially commemorated. Where a precise 2026 date is included in the VisaBoards dataset, it is supported by legal material, state-media reporting or both.
February 16: Birth Anniversary of Kim Jong Il
February 16 marks the birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il and has historically been known as the Day of the Shining Star. The DPRK National Flag Law identifies February 16 among the country's major holidays for official flag-hoisting ceremonies.
In 2026, North Korean state reporting and coverage of official activities marked February 16 as Kim Jong Il's 84th birth anniversary.
April 15: Birth Anniversary of Kim Il Sung
April 15 marks the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung. The date has traditionally been known as the Day of the Sun and is specifically included in the DPRK National Flag Law among the country's major ceremonial holidays.
The holiday is one of the most prominent recurring dates in North Korea's official commemorative calendar.
April 25: Founding Anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army
On April 25, 2026, KCNA reported official events marking the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. Kim Jong Un visited a military unit for the anniversary, and KCNA described service personnel as spending the significant day as a holiday.
This direct 2026 state-media evidence supports inclusion of April 25 in the verified VisaBoards dataset.
July 27: Day of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War
North Korea observes July 27 as the Day of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War, its official terminology for the anniversary associated with the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.
In July 2026, North Korean state media reported commemorative events for the 73rd anniversary, including memorial visits, performances and ceremonies. The DPRK National Flag Law also lists the Day of Victory among the country's major state holidays.
September 9: Founding Day of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
September 9 commemorates the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1948 and functions as the country's national founding day.
Official activities in 2026 marked the 78th anniversary of the DPRK's founding. Senior party, government and military officials participated in commemorative events connected with the anniversary.
October 10: Party Foundation Day
Party Foundation Day is observed on October 10 and commemorates the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea. The date is explicitly recognized by the DPRK National Flag Law as one of the country's major ceremonial holidays.
December 27: Constitution Day
Constitution Day is observed on December 27. The DPRK National Flag Law identifies Constitution Day among the major state holidays on which official national flag-hoisting ceremonies are held.
Why Some Commonly Listed Holidays Are Not in the Main Dataset
Commercial holiday calendars commonly list additional North Korean observances, including New Year's Day, Korean Lunar New Year, International Women's Day, May Day, Children's Union Foundation Day, Liberation Day, Songun Day, Chuseok and Mother's Day.
These dates are not automatically included in the primary VisaBoards dataset because the available sources do not provide the same level of direct official 2026 confirmation for every entry. The VisaBoards database therefore uses a conservative approach: a date is included as confirmed only when sufficiently authoritative evidence supports both the holiday and its date.
Do Weekend Public Holidays Move to Another Day?
No general nationwide substitute-day rule has been included in this article because a sufficiently authoritative DPRK source confirming automatic Mondayisation or another weekend-replacement system was not found. A holiday should therefore not be assumed to move to another date simply because it falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many verified public holiday dates are in the North Korea 2026 VisaBoards dataset?
The conservative VisaBoards dataset contains seven confirmed dates for 2026. It includes only holidays for which sufficiently authoritative legal or state-media evidence was found.
What is the next public holiday in North Korea?
The next holiday changes throughout the year. The live VisaBoards section near the top of this page displays the upcoming North Korean public holiday from the current holiday database.
When is Kim Jong Il's birth anniversary in 2026?
Kim Jong Il's birth anniversary falls on February 16, 2026. The date has historically been known as the Day of the Shining Star and is identified as a major holiday in DPRK legal material.
When is Kim Il Sung's birth anniversary in 2026?
Kim Il Sung's birth anniversary falls on April 15, 2026. The date has traditionally been known as the Day of the Sun and is included among the major holidays referenced in the DPRK National Flag Law.
Is April 25 a holiday in North Korea in 2026?
Yes. KCNA reported official celebrations on April 25, 2026 for the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army and described the date as a significant holiday.
When is North Korea's Victory Day in 2026?
The Day of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War falls on July 27, 2026. North Korean state media marked the 73rd anniversary with official commemorative events.
When is North Korea's national founding day?
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea marks its founding anniversary on September 9. In 2026, the country commemorated the 78th anniversary of its founding.
When is Party Foundation Day in North Korea?
Party Foundation Day is observed on October 10 and commemorates the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.
When is Constitution Day in North Korea?
Constitution Day is observed on December 27 and is identified in DPRK legal material as one of the country's major state holidays.
Why does this list contain fewer holidays than some commercial calendars?
The VisaBoards list uses a stricter verification standard. Commercial calendars include several additional observances, but dates are not placed in the primary database unless sufficiently authoritative official or state-linked evidence supports their classification.
Official and Authoritative Sources for North Korea Public Holidays
- DPRK National Flag Law: translated legal text identifying major state holidays associated with official national flag-hoisting ceremonies.
- Korean Central News Agency: DPRK state-media reporting used to verify current official commemorations and 2026 observances.
- KCNA report on the April 25, 2026 military founding anniversary: confirms official observance of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army founding anniversary.
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