Korea’s first sunrise of 2026: When and where to see it

Crowds gather to watch the sunrise at a beach in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. (Sokcho City)

South Korea's first sunrise of the new year will occur at 7:26 a.m. on Dokdo, the country’s easternmost islets in Ulleung-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute said Wednesday.

In Seoul, the sun will rise at 7:47 a.m.

According to the institute, people on the Korean Peninsula will be able to see the first sunrise of the new year as early as 7:31 a.m. along the coast of Ulsan. Sunrise times were calculated based on sea level.

Observers watching from an elevation of about 100 meters above sea level may see the sun around two minutes earlier than the announced times.

Greeting the first sunrise of the year carries cultural significance in Korea, and hundreds of thousands of people traditionally gather along the coasts or on high mountains each Jan. 1 to watch the sun rise.

Provinces bordering the East Sea are preparing for the large crowds anticipated this year. Measures include steps to ease traffic flow, restrictions on roadside stopping, and the deployment of safety management personnel at major viewing sites.

Gangwon Province, home to some of the country’s most popular sunrise spots such as Jeongdongjin Beach, expects highway traffic to increase by about 6.4 percent compared to New Year’s Day 2025.

Travel time between Seoul and Gangneung, Gangwon Province, is expected to reach up to three hours and 50 minutes before sunrise, and as long as six hours for the return trip after sunrise, far longer than the usual travel time of under three hours in uncongested conditions.

The institute also said the last sunset of 2025 in Korea will occur at 5:40 p.m. on December 31 on Gageodo, Sinan-gun, South Jeolla Province. On the mainland, the last sunset will be at 5:35 p.m. in Jindo-gun in the same province.