'Spring Royal Palace Culture Festival' Draws Nearly 700,000 Visitors, Setting All-Time Record

138,225 Foreign Visitors,
a 26.3% Increase from Last Year

The 'Spring Royal Palace Culture Festival,' which concluded on May 4, attracted approximately 700,000 visitors. According to the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Cultural Heritage Administration and the National Heritage Promotion Agency on May 9, a total of 698,549 people visited the five major palaces?Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, and Gyeonghuigung?as well as Jongmyo over the nine days from April 26. This represents an increase of about 16.2% compared to last year's 601,135 visitors. The Promotion Agency explained, "This is the highest number of attendees for a spring event since the Royal Palace Culture Festival began in 2015."

A significant portion of the visitors were foreigners, totaling 138,225, which is a 26.3% increase from last year's 109,482. The Promotion Agency stated, "The increase was influenced by the expansion of programs and foreign language guides for international visitors, such as offering a royal cuisine experience on the second floor of Jungmyeongjeon, which is not normally open to the public." The agency added, "We will continue to expand unique programs that can only be experienced during the Royal Palace Culture Festival to further highlight the festival's distinct characteristics."

The festival is scheduled to be held once more in October, during the fall season.