Korea Heritage Service marks one year since launch

Palace and royal tomb visitors set record for 3rd consecutive year

5 million foreign visitors within reach

Regional heritage sites generate 720 billion won in economic ripple effects

Foreign tourists visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]
Foreign tourists visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]

Historic palaces and royal tombs are no longer just tourist attractions — they are becoming core infrastructure for drawing foreign visitors to Korea. Attendance at national heritage sites has set an all-time record for three consecutive years, and the economic ripple effects on local communities are growing increasingly visible.

The Korea Heritage Service announced its one-year policy achievements Sunday, citing three pillars: branding national heritage as a K-tourism destination to drive regional growth, easing regulations to improve public convenience, and globalizing K-heritage.

According to the agency, visits to palaces and royal tombs — encompassing the four grand palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs — reached 17.81 million last year, the highest figure on record. That follows 14.37 million in 2023 and 15.78 million in 2024, marking three consecutive years of record highs and signaling a sustained growth trajectory rather than a one-off rebound.

The visitor mix is also shifting. Foreign visitors accounted for 4.27 million, or 24 percent of the total — roughly seven times the figure recorded in 2022, when recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic began in earnest. That pace of increase also outstrips the 20.1 percent foreign visitor share recorded in 2024.

The upward trend has continued this year. Visits to palaces and royal tombs from January through April reached 5.45 million, up 12 percent from the same period a year earlier, with foreign visitors numbering 1.41 million — a 28 percent increase. A BTS concert at Gwanghwamun in March provided a short-term boost, but steady quarter-on-quarter growth suggests that historic palaces are establishing themselves as standalone tourism destinations.

Korea Heritage Service Commissioner Heo Min. [Yonhap]
Korea Heritage Service Commissioner Heo Min. [Yonhap]

According to the Korea Tourism Organization, 6.77 million tourists visited Korea from January through April this year, up 21.4 percent from the same period last year. As the overall inbound market expands, visits to palaces and royal tombs — a key stop on most itineraries — are expected to keep rising. If the trend holds, the milestone of 5 million foreign visitors in a single year appears within reach.

Regional heritage sites drew 6.71 million visitors last year, generating an estimated 720 billion won (about $479 million) in economic ripple effects — equivalent to roughly 107,000 won in induced spending per visitor. The agency attributed the broad impact to heritage visits driving linked spending on accommodation, food and beverage, and transportation, spreading economic benefits well beyond ticket revenue into local consumption.

To redirect foreign tourists from Greater Seoul to other parts of the country, the Korea Heritage Service has been running its "Heritage Visit Bridge" project, expanding regional programs such as nighttime heritage walks, World Heritage festivals and media art installations.

The 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session is scheduled for Busan in July — an 18-day event expected to draw more than 3,000 participants from 196 countries. Busan city officials anticipate economic effects two to three times those of a standard five-day international conference, which typically generates between 70 billion and 100 billion won. With Korea serving as chair, the meeting carries strategic value beyond simply hosting an event, offering diplomatic leverage to amplify the country's voice in international cultural heritage policy.

The agency also highlighted administrative improvements: the number of building permit and related procedures required within nationally designated heritage protection zones fell 26 percent compared with the three-year average, and dropped a further 15 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year to 389 cases.

"The past year was a period in which we breathed new vitality into the regions through heritage tourism promotion and bold regulatory reform, delivering results that people can feel," Korea Heritage Service Commissioner Heo Min said. "We will ensure that national heritage — the root of a culturally strong nation and the source of K-culture — contributes to elevating Korea's national brand."


terry@heraldcorp.com