Public Holidays In North Korea

The biggest and important Festival in North Korea is 15th of April which is Kim Il Sung' birthday. It is called Day of the Sun. For some important years there will be military parade and during the festival students or citizen will have big dancing party on Kim Il Sung Square or Street. Most of female will wear Korean beautiful traditional dress . It is called Chima and Joggori . Explore North Korea Tour will have group tours and independent tour to North Korea during the Festival.

​Traditional Folk Holidays In North Korea:

​North Korea is very close to China some of traditional folk holidays are quite similar to Chinese traditional festival. 

Lunar New Year: (Similar like Chinese Spring Festival on lunar calendar 1st of January. It is the biggest Festival in China)  In North Korea Koreans use to greet their elders in the morning and play several folk games. Several dishes made of meat, vegetables and herbs are taken. Besides, the traditional New Year dishes such as rice cake soup, dumpling soup, pop- rice cake, glutinous rice crackers, fruit punch and sweet juice made from fermented rice are popular.

Chusok: (Chinese has this festival as well called Qingming on April the 5th. People go to the died relatives tombs to keep the graves tidy. On 15th of August Chinese lunar calender Chinese has Moon Festival for family members get together . On this date 15th lunar calender the moon is very big. People eating fruits and moon cake and drinking tea with family members together.)  

In DPRK August 15th by lunar calendar. An autumn holiday after harvesting. Koreans visit their forefathers' graves, keep the graves tidy and hold memorial services. They play tug-of - war. Varieties of rice food made of crops are popular.

Tano: (Chinese has the similar festival on Lunar calendar 5th of May it is called DUANWU Festival. Chinese will eat steamed rice wrapped with special plant leaves. There will be boats racing match show in some cities of China.)

May 5th by lunar calendar. A spring holiday after sowing and transplanting. The weather is so fine that people go out to play colorful folk games. Especially Moran Hill situated on the bank of the River Taedong in Pyongyang is crowed with holiday makers. Barbecuing in Moran Hill is spectacular. The fragrant rice cake mixed with wormwood pasted and lettuce- wrapped rice are special dishes prepared for this day. 

• North Korea Public Holidays

• New Years Day : 1st - January 

• Birth Day of Kim Jong Il : 16th - February

• Day of the Sun (Birth day of Kim Il Sung) : 15th - April

• Foundation Day of The Korean People's Army:25th - April 

• May Day Festival: 1st - May 

• Victorious Day: 27th - July 

• National Liberation Day : 15th - August

• Foundation of the DPRK : 9th - September 

• Foundation of the Worker's Party of Korea: 10th -October 

• Day of the DPRK Socialist Constitution: 27th - December.

Febraury 16th

Brithday of great General Kim Jong Il, Juche 31 (1942). It is the greatest national holiday together with the Day of the Sun. Kimjongilia Show, the international Figure-Skating Festival for Peaktusan Prize and other funchtions are held in Pyongyang.

April 15th

Day of the Sun. Brithday of great President Kim Il Sung, Juche 1 (1912). The era of Juche year was inaugrated with 1912 as the first year. On this greatest national holiday, international events are also held including Kimilsungia Show and the April Spring Friendship Art Festival.

Source: www.explorenorthkorea.com