'5 Million Visitors Era' National Museum of Korea Begins Move Toward Paid Admission... "Starting with Reservation System"

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The National Museum of Korea, which has ushered in an era of 5 million annual visitors, is introducing a reservation system with paid admission in mind.

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

Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, stated at a press conference held at the museum's education center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 28th, "Before we discuss paid admission, we will operate an integrated customer management system, including a reservation system, starting early next year."

The National Museum of Korea has offered free admission to its permanent exhibition halls since May 2008. However, special exhibitions co-hosted with major overseas museums, art galleries, and private organizations are conducted on a paid basis. The price of special exhibitions ranges from 10,000 to 19,000 won depending on the exhibition.

Previously, Director Yoo acknowledged the necessity of paid admission during a recent National Assembly audit by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, but also stated, "We are considering various timing and methods for implementing paid admission."

Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, is holding a press conference on the 28th at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seo Mideum

Paid admission is not being considered as a means to control the increasing number of visitors. Director Yoo said, "We do not intend to introduce paid admission to restrict visitors to the museum," and added, "Our goal is to maintain the current level of around 5 million visitors even after introducing paid admission."

Director Yoo emphasized the need to accurately understand visitor demographics before discussing paid admission. As of October 20, the annual number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea reached 5,103,709, and the total number of visitors, including all 13 affiliated regional museums, was tallied at 11,545,983. However, the proportion of foreign visitors is currently only estimated at the time of on-site ticketing, and accurate data is not available.

The director explained, "Currently, it is impossible to categorize visitor statistics by age or nationality," and predicted, "If we introduce a reservation system, younger generations will be able to access it easily online." He also added that for generations who may find online reservations difficult, "We are considering a system where visitors can input simple information on-site and receive a free ticket."

In order to fully implement the system, discussions with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism must be finalized.

Lee Yongshin, Head of the Education and Cultural Exchange Division, said, "We have requested a budget of 500 million won for this year," and added, "If the budget is approved, we will build the system and implement it in the first half of next year, before the summer peak season."

Director Yoo stated, "There are many issues to discuss, such as whether to charge admission, the extent to which admission will remain free, and how to handle repeat visits," and explained, "The impact on national, public, and private museums will also be significant."

He added, "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is expected to hold a public hearing next year for in-depth discussions," and said, "We will propose a variety of wise solutions regarding paid admission."

Director Yoo cited the growing proportion of younger visitors and the high rate of repeat visits as reasons for the 5 million visitor milestone.

Director Yoo Hongjun giving a greeting. Photo by Yonhap News

In this regard, he pointed to the activation of children's museums at affiliated regional museums, exhibitions utilizing media art and immersive video, and the popularity of the Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" as contributing factors.

He also said, "We are working to address the lack of convenience facilities such as parking lots and cafes," and added, "We have commissioned a study to disperse visitor flow so that there will be no issues with visitor entry."

Director Yoo emphasized that there will be many more exhibitions to showcase in the future.

He said, "After the Lee Kunhee exhibition is held at the Smithsonian in the United States, it will tour Chicago and London," and added, "Next year, an exhibition of Silla gold crowns is planned in France."

Regarding the overseas exhibition of "5,000 Years of Korean Art," which he announced upon taking office, he explained, "We are planning to gather the core of Korean art and continue the world tour exhibition."