South Korea’s National Parks See Surge in Foreign Visitors
Korea’s national parks attracted a total of 2.05 million foreign visitors in 2025, the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) said Wednesday.1
Of this number, 1.13 million were international tourists, while the remaining 920,000 were foreign residents living in Korea.1
Popular Parks
Hallasan National Park on Jeju Island drew the largest share of overseas tourists, recording 270,000 visitors. This reflects a broader trend of foreign tourists on Jeju Island incorporating natural landscape activities into their itineraries, according to the agency.1
Dadohaehaesang National Park ranked second with 140,000 visitors, followed by Taeanhaean National Park and Hallyeohaesang National Park, each with 130,000 recorded visitors.1
Visitor Demographics
Among international tourists, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest share at 250,000, or 21.9 percent of the total number of visitors. Taiwan followed with 130,000 visitors, the Philippines with 90,000, Indonesia with 80,000, the U.S. With 60,000 and Japan with 50,000.1
Visitors from Chinese-speaking regions and Southeast Asian countries made up a disproportionately large share of the total, a trend the agency attributed in part to a broader recovery in inbound tourism to Korea.1
Seasonal Trends
Autumn is the most popular season for foreign visitors, with the combination of fall foliage and mild temperatures drawing the highest share of visits. Spring and summer followed, while winter recorded the fewest visitors.1
Data Collection Methodology
The statistics were compiled using mobile roaming data from international arrivals to estimate the number of people present within national park boundaries, replacing the agency’s previous method of manual headcounts at entry points.1
The KNPS stated the new data-driven approach allows for a more objective assessment of visitor volume and movement patterns.1
Future Initiatives
In response to growing foreign visitor demand, the agency intends to step up online outreach through English-language YouTube Shorts and develop tourism packages linked to national parks. It as well plans to offer rental safety gears — including hiking boots and trekking poles, provide artificial intelligence-powered multilingual guidance and launch ranger-led programs designed specifically for foreign visitors.1
“The fact that foreign visitors to Korea are also visiting our national parks demonstrates that natural landscapes are an important part of Korea’s tourism appeal,” said KNPS President Joo Dae-yeong.1
“Now that we can more accurately measure the scale of foreign visitation through roaming data analysis, we will expand tailored information services and programs for international visitors, and work to build national parks that grow together with local communities.”1