When exactly “within 14 days” or “within one month” ends is set by Civil Act Articles 157 to 161. For periods in days, weeks, months or years, the first day isn’t counted, the period ends at the end of its last day, and if that day is a Saturday or public holiday it ends the next day. But Article 6(2) of the Framework Act on Administration says that periods restricting rights or imposing duties count the first day and end on the last day even if it’s a weekend or holiday. The calculator lets you pick either rule.
1. Civil Act: leave out the first day; ends at the end of the last day — 14 days from 17 October start on 18 October.
2. Last day on a Saturday or public holiday: ends the next day (Art. 161).
3. Restrictions and duties: first day counted, ends that day even on a weekend (Framework Act Art. 6(2)) — not applied if it disadvantages the person.
Calculator
Updates as you type. Only Saturdays and Sundays are moved automatically; if the last day is another public holiday, the Civil Act moves it to the next day and you need to do that yourself.
The Civil Act rules — Arts. 155–161
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 155 | These rules apply unless a law, court disposition or juristic act provides otherwise | Special rules first |
| Art. 156 | Hours, minutes, seconds run immediately | — |
| Art. 157 | Days, weeks, months, years: first day not counted, unless the period starts at 0:00 | The calculator’s 0:00 option |
| Art. 159 | Ends at the end of the last day | Midnight (ours) |
| Art. 160 | Weeks, months, years by the calendar; if not from the start of one, ends the day before the corresponding day; if none, the month’s last day | One month = a calendar month |
| Art. 161 | Last day a Saturday or public holiday: ends the next day | — |
For example, a notice received on 17 October saying “within 14 days” is counted under the Civil Act from 18 October, leaving out 17 October (our example).
The administrative exception — Framework Act Art. 6
Article 6(1) applies the Civil Act to administrative periods unless there’s a special rule. Article 6(2) says that where laws or dispositions restrict rights or impose duties, the period (1) includes the first day and (2) ends on the last day even if it’s a Saturday or holiday. It reads as keeping restriction periods, such as a 30-day suspension, from running longer (our reading). It doesn’t apply where following it would disadvantage the person.
Four sums — our example
| Case (our example) | Ends | Worth noting (our sum) |
|---|---|---|
| Notice received Tue 20 Oct 2026, 14 days — Civil Act | Tue 3 Nov | 14th day from 21 October |
| Sat 17 Oct 2026, 14 days — Civil Act | Mon 2 Nov | Last day 31 Oct is a Saturday → past Sunday to Monday |
| A duty for 14 days from Sat 17 Oct — Framework Act Art. 6(2) | Fri 30 Oct | First day counted, no weekend move |
| 20 Oct 2026, 1 month — Civil Act | Fri 20 Nov | From 21 October → day before 21 November |
What counts as a public holiday
Under the Regulation on Public Holidays of Government Offices, Art. 2, holidays are Sundays, national days, 1 January, the three Lunar New Year days, Buddha’s Birthday, Labour Day (1 May), Children’s Day, Memorial Day, the three Chuseok days, Christmas, general election days and days the government designates; Art. 3 adds substitute holidays. The calculator moves only Saturdays and Sundays, so move past other holidays yourself. Whether the Civil Act’s “public holiday” is exactly this list we didn’t check.
Tax payment extensions are in payment deadline extension; legal age in Korean legal age calculator.
Checklist
- ☐ Any special period rule (law or contract first)
- ☐ Civil Act: drop the first day, or count it from 0:00
- ☐ Restrictions or duties: Framework Act Art. 6(2)
- ☐ Last day a holiday: the next day (Civil Act)
- ☐ File a day early (ours)
Questions that remain
Is a month 30 days?
No. Article 160 counts months by the calendar, so a period through February can be shorter than 30 days.
Does midnight apply to online filing?
The Act says “the end of the last day”; system cut-off times are set by each agency.
Sources
- Korean law database (law.go.kr) — Civil Act Arts. 155–161 — source (current text, effective 17 March 2026, Act No. 21454; checked 20 October 2026). Scope, immediate start, the first-day rule and the 0:00 exception, end of last day, calendar counting, Saturday and holiday extension.
- Korean law database — Framework Act on Administration Arts. 6–7 — source (effective 19 March 2026, Act No. 20824; checked 20 October 2026). Applying the Civil Act; first day counted and weekend ending for restrictions and duties; not applied where disadvantageous.
- Korean law database — Regulation on Public Holidays of Government Offices Arts. 2–3 — source (effective 11 May 2026, Decree No. 36290; checked 20 October 2026). Holiday list, substitute holidays.
- Not read. Special period rules in other laws; case law.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- The notice or contract — whether it sets its own period.
- The agency — filing cut-off times.
Written on 20 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
