More South Koreans flock to national parks, with Mt. Bukhansan most visited

Mt. Jirisan is blanketed in snow, in this file photo from November 2025. Courtesy of the Korea National Park Service

SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - Some 43.31 million people visited national parks last year, with Mt. Bukhansan seeing the most visitors, according to data released by the Korea National Park Service on Monday.

It was a 6.5 percent increase from the previous year and a full recovery from the sharp drop seen during the coronavirus pandemic, when the number of annual visitors fell into the 30 million range from a pre-pandemic high of around 43 to 44 million. The number climbed back above 40 million in 2024 and has remained there since.

Mt. Bukhansan was visited by 7.53 million people, up about 540,000 from the previous year, accounting for 17.4 percent of all national park visits. Its steady draw reflects its easy access from the Seoul metropolitan area, along with a diverse range of trails and walking paths.

People also headed in large numbers to other major parks. Gyeongju National Park in the southeastern city ranked second with 4.21 million visitors, up 9 percent from a year earlier, largely due to the city's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last fall. It was followed by Hallyeohaesang National Park with 3.79 million visitors and Jirisan National Park with 3.23 million.

The service's chairman, Joo Dae-young, said it will strive to "provide a safe and comfortable environment so that national parks remain a leading natural retreat for the public."