Tourism in South Korea

The Deoksugung palace in Seoul, a popular visitor attraction
Gwangan Bridge in Busan
Hyangwonjeong Pavilion in Gyeongbokgung Palace

Tourism in South Korea and its industry caters to both foreign and domestic tourists.[1][2] In 2023, 17.2 million foreign tourists visited South Korea, making it the 20th most visited country in the world.[3] Most non-Korean tourists come from East Asia and North America, such as Taiwan and the United States. The popularity of Korean popular culture, often known as the "Korean Wave", in countries around the world has significantly increased tourist arrivals.[4]

South Korea has 16 World Heritage Sites, including Changdeokgung PalaceNamhansanseong and Hwaseong Fortress.[5] Seoul is the principal tourist destination for visitors; popular tourist destinations outside of Seoul include the major coastal city of Busan, the Seorak-san national park, the historic city of Gyeongju and subtropical Jeju Island.[6]

  1. ^ UNTWO (June 2008). "UNTWO World Tourism Barometer, vol. 5, n° 2" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
  2. ^ "International tourism, number of arrivals - Korea, Rep". World Bank. 2020.
  3. ^ Julius Szabo (2023). "30 Most Visited Countries in the World and their most visited places". govisity.com. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  4. ^ "Korea Monthly Statistics". kto.visitkorea.or.kr.
  5. ^ "Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  6. ^ Linda Hohnholz (March 6, 2016). "Statistics Korea: Resort island of Jeju is booming". eturbonews.com. Retrieved 2024-09-23.