{
  "id": 9732218,
  "title": "Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/foreign-visitors-flock-to-seouls-royal-palaces-as-tourism-rebounds",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-25T08:22:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20260925/foreign-visitors-flock-to-seouls-royal-palaces-as-tourism-rebounds"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nDomestic 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.\n\nChangdeok 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.",
  "summary": "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…",
  "key_points": [
    "Gyeongbok Palace welcomed 2.78 million international tourists, setting a record.",
    "Foreign visitor numbers increased by 37.34% compared to 2024.",
    "Domestic visitors rose by 7.11% to 4.10 million."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Foreign visitors flock to Seoul's royal palaces as tourism rebounds",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/foreign-visitors-flock-to-seouls-royal-palaces-as-tourism-rebounds-9735956",
        "published": "2026-09-25T08:47:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}