The parking fees at the National Museum of Korea, which has been experiencing severe parking issues due to a record number of visitors, will increase starting on the 30th. The fee for cars will change from 2,000 won for two hours to 900 won per 30 minutes, translating to 3,600 won for two hours. The daily maximum fee will rise from 10,000 won to 18,000 won, marking an 80% increase.
For buses, the fee will change from 4,000 won for two hours to 1,800 won per 30 minutes, with an additional charge of 600 won for every ten extra minutes. The daily maximum fee will increase from 20,000 won to 36,000 won, also representing an 80% rise. This is the first time the museum has raised parking fees since it opened in Yongsan in 2005. A museum official explained that the parking fees have remained unchanged for 20 years, and the increase aims to align with nearby public parking facilities like Yongsan Family Park.
The museum has been seeing record visitor numbers, spurred by growing interest in traditional culture and the popularity of exhibitions like “K-pop Demon Hunters.” Between January and August this year, the museum welcomed 4,328,979 visitors, a 77.5% increase from the same period last year. This marks the highest number since the museum’s opening in 1945, with projections suggesting visitor numbers could exceed 6 million this year.
Due to the surge in visitors, the parking lot has been facing severe congestion, with an average wait time of one hour to enter being communicated to visitors. The museum, which has a parking capacity of approximately 862 vehicles, has been encouraging the use of public transportation.