Tourists clad in hanbok take photos at Gyeongbokgung in Seoul on Monday. The city government said foreign tourism in Seoul in January fully recovered to the prepandemic level and set a new January record. (Yonhap)
Tourists clad in hanbok take photos at Gyeongbokgung in Seoul on Monday. The city government said foreign tourism in Seoul in January fully recovered to the prepandemic level and set a new January record. (Yonhap)

Seoul attracted about 900,000 foreign tourists in January, despite political instability caused by the Dec. 3, 2024, declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment trials.

While January is typically a low season for tourism, this year’s figure surpasses the 2019 figure of 880,000, setting a new January record. From the same month in 2024, the city saw a 27 percent uptick in tourist arrivals.

Tourists are seen wearing hanbok at Gyeongbokgung in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
Tourists are seen wearing hanbok at Gyeongbokgung in central Seoul. (Yonhap)

rladpdnjs1024@heraldcorp.com