7 Things to Prepare Before the Chuseok Holiday (for E-9 Nepali Workers, September 24–26, 2026)

1. Send money before the holiday

• Bank counters are closed for 4 days in a row, from the 24th to the 27th. Money transfer apps and ATMs still work, but overseas transfers may be slow because the receiving bank may take longer. If your family in Nepal needs money during the holiday, send it by the 23rd.
• To compare ways to send money and fees, see Comparing ways to send money home.

2. Check for unpaid wages and report before the holiday

• Look at your 급여명세서 (pay slip) and check that you received all of this month's pay, plus overtime, night work, and holiday work pay. How to check in 30 seconds
• If you have unpaid money, contact 1577-0071 (Nepali, weekdays 9:00–18:00) or 1350 by the 23rd. They do not answer the phone during the holiday. Before holidays, 고용노동부 runs a special period to focus on unpaid wages, so reports are handled faster at this time.

3. Find hospitals and pharmacies open during the holiday in advance

• For emergencies, call 119. Ambulances and emergency rooms work 24 hours, even during the holiday.
• If you have a fever or need medicine, you can find open hospitals and pharmacies on the Emergency Medical Portal e-gen (www.e-gen.or.kr) or by calling 129 (보건복지상담센터 (Health and Welfare Call Center), open during the holiday).
• If you go to the emergency room with mild symptoms, an extra emergency care fee is added, so it costs a lot. If it is not urgent, go to a local clinic after the holiday. How to go to the hospital and get an interpreter
• If you take regular medicine, get a prescription before the holiday.

4. Dormitory meals and food and housing costs

• Ask your boss or manager in advance if the company cafeteria will be closed during the holiday, and if so, how you will eat (lunch boxes, meal money, or cooking yourself).
• Your employer cannot take meal costs out of your pay for days when no meals were given. Food and housing costs can be deducted only for what was actually provided, and only within the amount you agreed to in writing in advance.
• If you cook for yourself, buy groceries by the 23rd. Some local supermarkets also close during the holiday.

5. Check your holiday work schedule

• Check your work schedule: do you work or rest during the holiday, and what about the 28th (Mon)? The 28th is not a substitute holiday.
• At a workplace with 5 or more workers (except farming, livestock, and fishing), the 3 days of Chuseok are paid holidays, and if you work, you get 150%. For details on how to calculate, see How much do I get if I work during Chuseok.

6. If you plan to travel, buy tickets now

• Trains and express buses sell out just before the holiday. The 코레일 (Korail, Korean railway) app and website support English.
• Highways are most crowded on the afternoon of the 24th and the afternoon of the 27th.
• If you plan a short trip to Nepal: registered foreigners do not need a permit to come back if they return within 1 year after leaving. But if your remaining stay period is shorter than that, you must return before it ends. Checklist for a short trip to Nepal

7. Save emergency contacts on your phone

Situation	Number	During the holiday
Report crime, assault, accident	112	24 hours
Ambulance, fire	119	24 hours
Open hospitals and pharmacies	129 / e-gen	Open
Labor counseling in Nepali	1577-0071	Weekdays only (closed during holiday)
Immigration, stay	1345	Weekdays only (closed during holiday)
주한 네팔대사관 (Embassy of Nepal in Korea)	Emergency contact on the embassy website	In emergencies

• If a fight starts while drinking during the holiday, it can lead to punishment and affect your stay, as explained in the Assault and verbal abuse article. Be careful.

Chuseok greetings for Korean people

• Just saying "즐거운 추석 보내세요" (jeulgeoun chuseok bonaeseyo, "Have a happy Chuseok") is enough.
• Chuseok is a day when families get together, pay respect to their ancestors, and eat songpyeon (rice cakes). It is the biggest holiday, like Dashain in Nepal. If your company gives you gifts or food, just say thank you.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every workplace is different, so for specific problems, contact 1577-0071 (Nepali).