KOREA'S NATIONAL FOUNDATION DAY Gaecheonjeol — The Day the Sky Opened 개천절 (開天節)
KOREA'S NATIONAL FOUNDATION DAY
What is Gaecheonjeol?
Gaecheonjeol (개천절, 開天節) means "the day the sky opened." It commemorates the legendary founding of Gojoseon — Korea's first state — in 2333 BCE by Dangun Wanggeom. Since October 1, 1949, when the Act on National Holidays (Law No. 53) was enacted, it has been a national holiday alongside March 1st Movement Day, Constitution Day and Liberation Day, and commemorative ceremonies are held across the country every October 3.
| Name | Gaecheonjeol (개천절, 開天節) · English: National Foundation Day |
|---|---|
| Date | October 3 (national holiday, legal public holiday) |
| Commemorates | The founding of Gojoseon by Dangun in 2333 BCE (traditional date) |
| Founding ideal | Hongik Ingan (弘益人間) — "broadly benefit all humanity" |
| Key source | The Dangun founding myth in the Samguk Yusa (13th century) |
| Designated | October 1, 1949, under the Act on National Holidays (Ministry of the Interior and Safety) |
The Dangun myth — how a bear became human
As the Samguk Yusa tells it, Hwanin, the Lord of Heaven, had a son, Hwanung, who wished to rule the human world. Hwanin permitted him to descend, and Hwanung arrived beneath the Sindansu (the divine sandalwood tree) on Mount Taebaek with three ministers — Wind, Rain and Clouds — governing some 360 affairs of humankind. A bear and a tiger who lived nearby prayed to become human. Hwanung told them to endure 100 days in a dark cave eating only mugwort and garlic. The tiger gave up and ran out; the bear endured and became a woman, Ungnyeo ("bear-woman"). Unable to find a husband, she prayed beneath the Sindansu for a child. Hwanung took human form, married her, and she bore Dangun Wanggeom. Dangun founded a state at Asadal near present-day Pyongyang and named it Joseon.
Hongik Ingan — the founding ideal
At the heart of the Dangun myth lies Hongik Ingan (弘益人間) — "broadly benefit all humanity." It compresses the founding spirit of the Korean people into a single sentence, and its spirit runs through the preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea today. Because it holds that a state exists for the good of all rather than for private gain, it is read as a universal message that resonates across borders.
弘益人間 (Hongik Ingan) — "Broadly benefit all humanity"
The founding ideal encoded in the Dangun myth · Samguk YusaThe date and the Dangi calendar
October 3 traces back to 1909, when Daejonggyo — a religion centered on Dangun — chose the day he "opened the heavens" and founded Gojoseon; after liberation, the government fixed it as a national holiday. On the traditional Dangi calendar, which counts the years from Dangun's founding, 2026 is Dangi year 4358. The year 2333 BCE is a traditional, legendary date: that Gojoseon existed as an ancient state is accepted, but exactly when it arose remains an open scholarly question. Either way, the holiday's meaning — remembering the nation's history and its founding ideal — endures today regardless of the myth's historical accuracy.
Gaecheonjeol around the world
Gaecheonjeol is not observed only in Korea. Korean communities worldwide treat October 3 as "Korean Day," holding parades and festivals. The most prominent is in New York.
Share Gaecheonjeol in one sentence
"Gaecheonjeol — the Day the Sky Opened. On October 3, Korea marks the legendary founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BCE by Dangun, whose ideal was Hongik Ingan: to live for the benefit of all humanity."
Sources
- National Folk Museum of Korea, "Gaecheonjeol (開天節), National Foundation Day" — nfm.go.kr
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety, national holidays overview — mois.go.kr
- Wikipedia, "National Foundation Day (Korea)" — en.wikipedia.org
- KAAGNY, 42nd Korean Parade & Festival — eventbrite.com
- National Archives of Korea, anniversary collection — theme.archives.go.kr
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