Abolition of Admission Fees for Suncheon Seonamsa and Songgwangsa Temples

Expecting Tourist Attraction Effects Along with the Garden Expo

Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) announced that the admission fees for the traditional temples Seonamsa and Songgwangsa, located in the Jogyesan area, have been abolished since the 4th of this month.

This is the result of the revision of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act last May, which allows the government or local governments to support the costs when the owners of nationally designated cultural properties reduce or waive admission fees.

Songgwangsa Temple [Photo provided by Suncheon City]

Now, anyone can freely enjoy the simple yet beautiful appearance of Seonamsa, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and the essence of the splendid Buddhist culture of Songgwangsa, one of Korea’s Three Jewel Temples.

In particular, many visitors are expected to attend the Buddha’s Birthday celebration events held at Songgwangsa and Seonamsa this year.

A Suncheon city official said, “We are pleased that many people can enjoy the beauty of Seonamsa and Songgwangsa,” and added, “We will continue to maintain smooth communication with the temples and strive to provide citizens with more opportunities to enjoy cultural heritage.”

Meanwhile, Suncheon City has been hosting the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo since April 1, and the abolition of temple admission fees is expected to have a synergistic effect on attracting tourists.

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr