Korea targets 3 mil. overseas hikers in aggressive 'K-trekking' push

Hikers traverse a floating river walkway cutting through a frozen gorge in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in a prime example of the scenic terrain driving Korea's massive “K-trekking” boom, which tourism officials hope will attract 3 million international visitors annually by 2028. Korea Times file

Korea is betting heavily on its rugged topography to drive its next major wave of international arrivals. As a burgeoning outdoor hobby colloquially known as “K-trekking” takes hold among overseas travelers, state tourism and conservation bodies are pooling their resources to convert the country’s protected peaks into primary commercial destinations.

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and the Korea National Park Service formalized an expansive strategic partnership Wednesday at KTO headquarters in Wonju. The alliance sets an aggressive benchmark: jointly attracting 3 million international visitors to Korea’s national parks annually by 2028.

The initiative comes on the heels of dramatic, postpandemic shifting patterns in inbound travel. According to state data, the number of foreign nationals visiting Korean national parks surged from approximately 890,000 in 2024 to more than 2.05 million in 2025 — a striking 132 percent year-on-year increase that has elevated mountain trekking into a core pillar of the domestic tourism economy.

Under the new five-year framework, the two entities will collaborate on large-scale international promotional campaigns utilizing the KTO’s global network, including its digital integration platform, VisitKorea, and the HiKR Ground experiential media center in downtown Seoul. To enhance the modern traveler's experience, the partnership will integrate artificial intelligence-driven translation and navigation services while establishing cross-agency data-sharing networks to track visitor demographics and trail congestion in real time.

Concurrently, a specialized promotional initiative dubbed the "K-Trekking Challenge" will launch immediately in collaboration with Creatrip, a major travel platform catering to inbound independent tourists. Running through November, the campaign will target five premier national park hubs: Mount Seorak, Mount Odae, Mount Bukhan and the historic trails surrounding Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D.935).

To lower barriers for international travelers who frequently arrive without specialized gear, the campaign will provide free safety equipment rentals and English-language trail orientations. Visitors who share their hiking experiences on social media will be incentivized with travel platform rewards and limited-edition merchandise blending the two agencies' official mascots.

“K-trekking has rapidly transitioned from a niche domestic pastime into a prominent, sought-after cultural asset for international travelers,” said Park Sung-hyeuck, president of the KTO. “Through this coordinated effort, we intend to position our wilderness trails as a powerful catalyst for regional economic growth, drawing visitors far beyond the traditional confines of urban Seoul.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.