Admission fees for South Korea's royal palaces and royal tombs have stayed unchanged for 21 years, prompting calls to bring them in line with current costs. Interest in traditional culture and visitor numbers have risen along with the global popularity of Korean culture, yet revenue from admission fees has fallen. The Korea Heritage Service plans to gather public input, set new fee standards and apply them starting next year.
Kim Jae-kyu, head of the Korea Heritage Planning and Evaluation Institute, said on the 8th that admission fees at Korean palaces and royal tombs are low compared with major World Heritage sites at home and abroad. He spoke at a public forum on palace and tomb admission fees held at the annex auditorium of the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul, organized by the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Korea Heritage Service.
Kim compared fees in Korea and abroad using the price of McDonald's Big Mac as a benchmark. At 5,700 won for a single Big Mac, the 3,000-won adult admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace amounts to about half the price of the burger. By contrast, admission to Nijo Castle in Japan runs about 6,860 won, or roughly 1.2 Big Macs.
The Palace of Versailles in France charges 35 euros per person during the April-to-October peak season for visitors from outside the European Economic Area. That works out to about 54,000 won, close to the price of nine Big Macs.
Even as total visits climbed, paying visitors and fee revenue declined. About 17.81 million people visited the four main palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs last year. Of those, about 12.29 million, or 69% of the total, were admitted free of charge.
"Compared with 2024, total visitors rose 12.9%, but paying visitors fell 5.2% and admission revenue dropped 4.1%," Kim said.
He said the way people visit is also changing. "Visitors today want more than simply looking at preserved heritage. They want to understand it more easily, and to see, hear and take part," Kim said. "We need to discuss a reasonable fee structure together."
Public Puts Fair Price at 9,203 Won, Backs Peak-Season Pricing
The forum also presented survey results on what the public considers an appropriate admission fee for the palaces.
An analysis by Choi Mi-jung, head of the Korea Performance Research Institute, of a survey of 6,635 people found that respondents saw an average of 9,203 won as an appropriate palace admission fee.
Citizens offered specific proposals as well. A 45-member citizen panel at the forum agreed that a fee increase is unavoidable, and put forward a range of ideas for improving conditions at the palaces, royal tombs and Jongmyo Shrine.
Participants suggested charging different fees for peak and off-peak seasons, and proposed piloting a reservation system during periods when visitors cluster.
Some called for revising the current policy granting free admission to visitors wearing hanbok, the Korean traditional dress. One participant who works as a tourist interpreter guide said, "Rather than including hanbok as grounds for free admission, running something like a 50% discount would help."
Another participant, who said they often take photos in hanbok at the palaces, said, "There is a great deal of clothing of unidentifiable origin or unclear provenance," adding, "I hope our hanbok is not treated roughly."
Cho Kyu-hyung, head of the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, said, "This is a moment that calls for serious reflection on the current fee structure, for the sake of sustainable preservation and use," adding, "We will review a range of perspectives and opinions."
Frozen Since 2005, New Fees Expected in January
Palace and royal tomb admission fees have remained in place for more than 20 years since they were raised in 2005. Adult admission is 3,000 won each at Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace, and 1,000 won at Changgyeonggung Palace and Deoksugung Palace. Visiting the rear garden at Changdeokgung requires a separate fee.
Adult admission at the Joseon royal tombs ranges from 500 to 2,000 won depending on the site. Some visitors are admitted free. Koreans aged 24 or under and 65 or over, foreign nationals aged 18 or under and 65 or over, independence patriots and their spouses, persons of national merit and pregnant women are admitted at no charge.
According to the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, about 7.41 million people visited the four main palaces — Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung — and Jongmyo Shrine between January and June this year. With visits continuing to rise, debate over the fee structure is gaining momentum.
The Korea Heritage Service will review the opinions raised at the forum along with related material before finalizing new admission fee standards for the palaces and tombs. The new standards are expected to be announced in November and take effect in January.
