Korea National Parks See 2.05M Foreign Visitors in 2025 | Trends & Plans

South Korea’s national parks experienced a surge in foreign visitation in 2025, attracting a total of 2.05 million international visitors, according to the Korea National Park Service (KNPS). The figure represents a significant increase in the appeal of the country’s natural landscapes to overseas travelers.

The KNPS data distinguishes between international tourists and foreign residents, reporting 1.13 million tourists and 920,000 foreign residents explored the parks last year. Hallasan National Park, located on Jeju Island, proved to be the most popular destination, drawing 270,000 foreign visitors. The agency noted this aligns with a broader trend of tourists to Jeju Island increasingly incorporating natural activities into their travel plans.

Dadohaehaesang National Park ranked second in popularity with 140,000 visitors, followed closely by Taeanhaean National Park and Hallyeohaesang National Park, each recording 130,000 visitors. These coastal parks offer diverse landscapes and recreational opportunities, contributing to their appeal.

Analysis of visitor origins revealed that Chinese nationals comprised the largest group of international tourists, accounting for 250,000 visitors – approximately 21.9 percent of the total. Taiwan followed with 130,000 visitors, while travelers from the Philippines, Indonesia, the United States, and Japan contributed 90,000, 80,000, 60,000, and 50,000 visitors respectively. The KNPS observed a disproportionately high number of visitors from Chinese-speaking regions and Southeast Asian countries, attributing this to the overall recovery of inbound tourism to Korea.

The peak season for foreign visitors to the national parks was autumn, driven by the combination of vibrant fall foliage and pleasant temperatures. Spring and summer also saw substantial visitation, while winter recorded the lowest numbers.

The KNPS has implemented a new methodology for tracking visitor numbers, utilizing mobile roaming data from international arrivals to estimate park attendance. This replaces previous manual headcounts at park entrances, which the agency says provides a more accurate and objective assessment of visitor volume and movement patterns.

Responding to the growing demand, the KNPS is expanding its online presence with English-language YouTube Shorts and developing tourism packages centered around the national parks. The agency also plans to offer rental equipment, including hiking boots and trekking poles, and introduce artificial intelligence-powered multilingual guidance services. Ranger-led programs specifically designed for foreign visitors are also in development.

“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. “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 perform to build national parks that grow together with local communities.”