The number of monthly visitors to the former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae has been on the rise as the weather warms up, the culture ministry said Wednesday.
The compound welcomed about 183,700 visitors, a notable increase from the 105,300 people in January and 154,000 in March.
Since the relocation of the presidential office to the former defense ministry building in Seoul’s Yongsan district last May, Cheong Wa Dae has been open to the public. It has since welcomed over 3.33 million visitors, of which 1.7 percent, or about 56,500, were foreigners.
The ministry also noted that the proportion of foreign visitors has been on the rise on a monthly basis.
Foreigners accounted for 4.8 percent of the total number of visitors this month, compared to 4.4 percent in March.
To accommodate the increasing demand from foreign visitors, the ministry plans to raise the limit on daily ticket issuance from 1,000 to 2,000.
Currently, only foreigners, the disabled, and those aged 65 and over can purchase tickets on site without prior reservation.
Source: Yonhap News Agency