Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds
Gyeongbok Palace drew a record 2.78 million foreign visitors last year, making it the most visited tourist attraction among international visitors to Korea, as attendance at four of Seoul’s major royal palaces continued to rise. According to the data from the Culture Ministry and the Korea Heritage Service, a total of 6.89 million people visited Gyeongbok Palace in 2025, up 6.88 percent from 6.44…
Seoul's royal palaces experienced a surge in foreign visitors last year, marking a significant rebound in tourism. Gyeongbok Palace led the charge, welcoming a staggering 2.78 million international visitors, a 37.34 percent increase from the previous year's 2.03 million. This made it the most popular tourist destination among overseas travelers visiting Korea.
Overall, 6.89 million people visited Gyeongbok Palace in 2025, up 6.88 percent from 6.44 million in 2024. Domestic visitors also climbed 7.11 percent to 4.10 million. Other major palaces such as Deoksu, Changdeok, and Changgyeong also saw millions of visitors last year. Deoksu Palace attracted 3.56 million visitors, including 378,000 foreign tourists, while Changdeok Palace recorded 2.22 million visitors, with about 666,000 foreign nationals. Changgyeong Palace drew 1.60 million visitors, of whom around 270,000 were from overseas.
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- Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds koreatimes.co.kr
