The main Geunjeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbok Palace. (image: Cultural Heritage Administration)
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — Four Joseon-era royal palaces in Seoul will remain open throughout the extended Chuseok holiday next week to receive holiday visitors free of charge, the government said Saturday.
The four palaces — Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Deoksu and Changgyeong — as well as the UNESCO-recognized Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty in the capital and its surrounding areas and major heritage sites will temporarily do away with their admission fees during the traditional Korean holiday season from Sept. 12-15.
The decision is part of the government’s efforts to promote domestic tourism during the long holiday season.
As part of the policy, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will also open up its outlets in central Seoul, Gwacheon and Deoksu Palace for free admission from Sept. 12-14, while the National Science Museum will give a 50 percent discount on ticket purchases during the holiday season.
Two national parks — Mount Bukhan and Mount Jiri — will join the campaign, providing a 30 percent discount on admission fees.
During the holiday season, a variety of tour programs featuring 20 heritage villages in South Korea will also be available, including Bongpyeong of Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province, the setting for the famous novel “When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom” by prominent novelist Lee Hyo-seok; the city of Icheon, famous for ceramics; and Jeju Island’s Hwabuk, the site of the Jeju Uprising from April 1948 to May 1949.
(Yonhap)
