With Armed Forces Day on the first of October approaching, many are checking their calendars and wondering, "Is it a day off this year?" To give you the bottom line: October 1, 2026, is a regular Thursday and has not been designated as a temporary public holiday. Because Armed Forces Day was a surprise temporary holiday back in 2024, many were secretly hoping for a day off again, but this year it is a normal workday and school day. Instead, because National Foundation Day falls on a Saturday this weekend, the following Monday, October 5, has been designated as a substitute holiday, giving us a three-day weekend.

The large-scale military parades in downtown Seoul that come to mind when thinking of Armed Forces Day will also not be taking place this year. The reason the parade, which annually causes traffic congestion and stops citizens in their tracks, has been omitted is due to a new policy from the Ministry of National Defense. To reduce fatigue caused by troop mobilization and equipment movement, the Ministry has introduced a 'Four-Year Armed Forces Day Event Plan' and decided to rotate the event's location. Accordingly, the official 78th Armed Forces Day ceremony will be held this year at the Gyeryongdae emergency runway in South Chungcheong Province, not in Seoul.

While there is no downtown parade, there are more opportunities to experience military culture firsthand. This year's Armed Forces Day ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Ground Forces Festival and the Gyeryong Military Culture Festival at Gyeryongdae. During the festival, which runs from October 1 to 5, you can view high-tech military equipment, watch tactical demonstrations, and even catch a spectacular air show by the ROK Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team. By moving the event from the city center to a festival venue, this year's Armed Forces Day is expected to be a new type of celebration that eases the burden on our troops while fostering a closer connection with the public.

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