Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds

Seoul's royal palaces are experiencing a surge in tourism from foreign visitors as the country's visitor numbers rebound, according to new figures released by the Culture Ministry and the Korea Heritage Service. Gyeongbok Palace, in particular, saw a record-breaking 2.78 million international tourists last year, marking it as the most popular attraction among overseas travelers to South Korea.

The data reveals a substantial 6.88 percent rise in visitors to Gyeongbok Palace, with attendance increasing from 6.44 million in the previous year to 6.89 million in 2025. A significant portion of these tourists, 2.78 million, were foreign nationals, reflecting a remarkable 37.34 percent growth in foreign visitors compared to 2.03 million in 2024.

Domestic visitors also showed a positive trend, increasing by 7.11 percent to a total of 4.10 million. Other notable royal palaces, Deoksu, Changdeok, and Changgyeong, also attracted millions of visitors last year. While visitor numbers at Gyeonghui Palace are not tracked, Deoksu Palace welcomed 3.56 million visitors, a 5 percent increase from the prior year, with about 378,000 of them being foreign tourists, representing a 1 percent growth.

Changdeok Palace recorded 2.22 million visitors, including approximately 666,000 foreign nationals, while Changgyeong Palace saw 1.60 million visitors, of which around 270,000 were foreign. The combined attendance figures underscore a steady recovery in tourism for Seoul's royal palaces, signaling a positive shift in international travel to the country.