[2025 National Assembly Audit] National Museum of Korea Surpasses 5 Million Visitors, but Foreigners Account for Only 3.7% (Comprehensive)

National Museum of Korea Surpasses 5 Million Visitors
Foreigners Remain a Minority, Calls for Effective Measures
Director Yoo: "Admission Fees Are the Right Direction... Under Review"
On Striking the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok: "The Bell Should Be Struck"
Apology for Posting Photo with Bang Sihyuk: "I Was Thoughtless"

This year, for the first time in its history, the National Museum of Korea surpassed 5 million annual visitors. However, the proportion of foreign visitors remains minimal. There have been calls for more effective measures to attract international audiences.

Yoo Hongjun, director of the National Museum of Korea, is responding to questions from committee members during the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's inspection of the National Museum of Korea and the National Library of Korea held on the 22nd in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to data submitted to the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee by Assemblyman Jeong Yeonwook of the People Power Party on October 22, as of October 20, the annual number of visitors had reached 5,103,709. Of these, only 190,052 were foreigners, accounting for just 3.7%.

The total number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea and its 13 regional branches was 11,545,983, with foreigners making up just 2.7% (311,574 people). Excluding the National Gyeongju Museum (77,727 people) and the National Jeju Museum (16,084 people), most museums recorded fewer than 5,000 foreign visitors annually, and some had fewer than 1,000.

Assemblyman Jeong Yeonwook commented, "While the achievement itself is significant, it is disappointing from an international competitiveness perspective that 96% of visitors are domestic. We need to first examine the accessibility environment for foreigners." Jeong's office noted that while the museum currently offers audio guides in English, Chinese, and Japanese, their usage rate and linguistic diversity remain somewhat limited.

Jeong added, "The National Museum of Korea is often the first place where people from around the world encounter Korean history and culture. Only by improving conditions for foreign visitors can it truly become a 'top five global museum.'"

Visitors are crowding the National Museum of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

During the inspection on the same day, Director Yoo Hongjun addressed the possibility of introducing admission fees for the museum's permanent exhibitions, stating, "We are considering various timings and methods for implementing paid admission." When asked by Assemblyman Kim Seungsoo of the People Power Party whether he believed permanent exhibitions should remain free, Yoo indicated his support for charging admission. He explained that the museum is discussing several options regarding the introduction of paid admission for museums and art galleries, and promised, "We will present the most reasonable and realistic plan." He also noted, "A challenge is how to maintain the current number of visitors without a decline," adding that the museum will review international cases.

In response to Assemblyman Jeong Yeonwook's question about the striking of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok (Emille Bell), Director Yoo stated, "The bell should be struck." The Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, the largest bell in Korea, was commissioned by King Gyeongdeok, the 35th king of Silla (r. 742-765), to honor his father, King Seongdeok (r. 702-737), and was completed in 771 during the reign of King Hyegong (r. 765-780). Due to concerns over potential damage, the last time the bell was struck was in 1992, and currently, only sound investigations are being conducted.

Director Yoo also apologized for posting, then deleting, a photo taken with Bang Sihyuk, chairman of HYBE, who is under investigation for allegedly obtaining 190 billion won in illicit gains, on the National Museum of Korea's social media account. Bang Sihyuk was recently questioned by police and is currently banned from leaving the country. Yoo explained, "I did not want to miss the opportunity to promote the museum and Korean culture worldwide through BTS and others," adding, "I was not thoughtful enough. I apologize here today."

Regarding measures to address regional cultural imbalances, Yoo stated, "We are in discussions with relevant ministries to establish new departments in the 13 regional museums, including Gongju, Buyeo, and Iksan, which will be responsible for regional cultural work, so that we can move forward together with local and regional cultures."