— The South Korean National Assembly has passed a law to change the name of the holiday for May 1 from Geunrojaui Nal (Workers’ Day) to Nodongjeol (Labor Day), starting in 2026. The change revives the old Korean name used before 1963.
As of today, May 1 is a paid holiday for employees covered by the Labor Standards Act (generally, workplaces with five or more staff). It is not yet a universal public holiday for all workers, such as public officials or very small workplaces. The government has announced plans to seek public holiday status for all workers from 2026, pending additional legislation.
If the legislation is finalized, South Korea would align itself with many countries that mark International Workers’ Day on May 1 and standardize observance across employment sectors starting in from May 1, 2026.