2026 in South Korea

Scheduled events in 2026 in South Korea.

Incumbents

Events

January

• 2 January – A KAI T-50 Golden Eagle of the Republic of Korea Air Force overturns during an emergency landing at Gwangju Air Base in Gwangju. Both pilots are unharmed.
• 16 January –
• Former president Yoon Suk Yeol is convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment on charges of abuse of power, obstruction of justice and falsification of documents in one of four trials relating to the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis.
• A massive fire breaks out at Guryong Village in Gangnam, Seoul.
• 21 January – Former prime minister Han Duck-soo is convicted and sentenced to 23 years' imprisonment on charges relating to the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis.
• 28 January – Former first lady Kim Keon Hee is convicted and sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment on charges of accepting bribes from the Unification Church.

February

• 9 February – An AH-1S Cobra attack helicopter of the Republic of Korea Army crashes in Gapyeong County, killing its two crew.
• 10 February – Authorities carry out raids on the National Intelligence Service and the Korea Defense Intelligence Command as part of investigations into drone flights carried out into North Korea.
• 12 February – Former interior minister Lee Sang-min is convicted and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on charges relating to the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis.
• 19 February – Former president Yoon Suk Yeol is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for insurrection relating to the 2024 South Korean martial law crisis.
• 25 February – An F-16 fighter jet of the Republic of Korea Air Force crashes near Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The pilot safely ejects.
• 26 February – A Truth and Reconciliation Commission is convened to investigate anomalies in the international adoption of South Korean children.

March

• 5 March – President Lee orders the activation of a ₩100 trillion (about US$68 billion) stabilization fund to address volatility in the country's financial markets linked to the 2026 Iran war.
• 13 March — Police raid the headquarters of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Sejong City as part of a renewed investigation into the crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in 2024.
• 16 March – A child is injured after being hit at a playground by a stray bullet suspected to have been fired during nearby military exercises in Daegu.
• 20 March – Fourteen people are killed in a fire at a car parts factory in Daejeon.

Predicted and scheduled events

• 3 June: 2026 South Korean local elections
• 5 September – 4 November: The Yeosu World Island Exhibition will take place in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.

Holidays

As per Presidential Decree No. 28394, 2017. 10. 17., partially amended, the following days are declared holidays in South Korea:

• 1 January – New Year's Day
• 16 – 18 February – Korean New Year
• 1 March – March First Movement
• 5 May – Children's Day
• 24 May – Buddha's Birthday
• 6 June – Memorial Day
• 15 August – National Liberation Day of Korea
• 24 – 27 September – Chuseok
• 3 October – National Foundation Day
• 9 October – Hangul Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day

Art and entertainment

• List of South Korean submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
• 2026 in South Korean television
• List of South Korean films of 2026
• 2026 in South Korean music

Deaths

• 1 January – , 50, baseball player (Hyundai Unicorns, Woori Heroes, SK Wyverns).
• 4 January – Kim Young-in, 85, actor (Dachimawa Lee, No Blood No Tears, Arahan).
• 5 January – Ahn Sung-ki, 74, actor (Silmido, Two Cops, Radio Star).
• 11 January – Park Soon-yong, 81, lawyer, prosecutor general (1999–2001).
• 14 January – Kim min-jae, 53, baseball player.
• 20 January – Li Chang-Su, 58, North Korean-born judoka and defector to South Korea.
• 25 January –
• Lee Hae-chan, 73, prime minister (2004–2006), minister of education (1998–1999) and MNA (1988–2020).
• Gong Ro-myung, 93, diplomat and politician, minister of foreign affairs (1994–1996).
• 8 February – Jung Jin-woo, 88, film director (Oyster Village, Adultery Tree) and producer (Woman of Fire).
• 11 February – Jung Eun-woo, 39, actor (Five Fingers, One Well-Raised Daughter, The Return of Hwang Geum-bok).
• 10 March – Kim Yong-chae, 94, politician, mayor of Nowon District (1996–1998).

References

External links

• Online calendar