Palace Visitors Surge 6.5 Times in Four Years, but Staffing Remains Stagnant

One Gyeongbokgung Palace Operator Handles 40,000 Calls Annually
"Working Conditions for On-site Staff Remain Unimproved... Urgent Need for Reform"

On the 29th, when visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists was implemented, Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul was bustling with foreign tourists. 2025.9.29 Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Over the past four years, the number of visitors to major palaces in Seoul has surged dramatically, but staffing levels have remained unchanged.

According to data released on October 12 by Assemblywoman Son Sol of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, the number of visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace increased 6.5 times, from 1 million in 2021 to 6.5 million last year. During the same period, the number of visitors to Changdeokgung Palace tripled from 600,000 to 1.75 million, Deoksugung Palace saw a 2.2-fold increase from 1.5 million to 3.4 million, and Changgyeonggung Palace doubled from 550,000 to 1.1 million.

However, the number of additional staff members was limited to six at Gyeongbokgung Palace, five at Changdeokgung Palace, eleven at Deoksugung Palace, and eleven at Changgyeonggung Palace. Notably, only one telephone operator worked at Gyeongbokgung Palace over the three-year period from 2022 to last year. During this time, the number of telephone inquiries rose from 39,050 in 2022, to 41,930 in 2023, and 43,792 last year-an increase of over 4,000 calls. In September and October, when visitor numbers peak, around 350 calls were concentrated per day. The number of ticketing staff responsible for ticket sales and admissions has also remained stagnant, leading to complaints that it is difficult to even take restroom breaks or use annual leave.

Assemblywoman Son stated, "Although the popularity of K-culture has caused a surge in palace visitors, the working conditions of on-site staff have not improved," emphasizing, "There is an urgent need to improve labor conditions."