KB News Desk
Admissions revenue from Seoul’s historic grand palaces declined last year, even as visitor numbers increased, due to more tourists entering for free, according to a Friday report by the local daily Hankyoreh.
According to data from the Korea Heritage Service, combined ticket revenue from Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung, as well as Jongmyo Shrine, declined for the first time in five years.
The number of visitors to the five royal heritage sites rose from about 13.1 million in 2024 to roughly 15 million in 2025. However, admission revenue slipped from about 11.6 billion won ($7.6 million) to 11.4 billion won over the same period.
The drop appears to reflect wider use of free admission programs.
Data from KHS shows that the number of visitors who entered the royal sites free of charge increased from about 8.2 million in 2024, accounting for 62.8 percent of all visitors, to around 10.3 million in 2025, accounting for 68.9 percent.
The number of free-entry days also expanded significantly. The sites were open free of charge for 53 days last year, compared with 14 days in 2022.
In addition to free admission during major holidays and on the last Wednesday of every month, designated as Culture Day, the palaces were opened free of charge for 12 days during the Korea Grand Festival. Visitors wearing hanbok and people ages 65 and older are also eligible for free entry.
The Korea Heritage Service reported that it is working to balance public access to cultural heritage with the need for stable preservation funding and is “currently reviewing visitor and revenue trends.”
