Gyeongju's Rawon cultural complex marks official opening with 56,000 cumulative visitors

Gyeongju city in North Gyeongsang Province held an official opening ceremony Sunday for Rawon, a large-scale cultural complex.

Rawon first opened in April, but city and provincial lawmakers, representatives from related agencies and tourism industry officials gathered Sunday for the formal ceremony, which aimed to stabilize operations and build a cooperative framework with the local tourism sector.

Attendees shared ideas on how Rawon could help revitalize tourism and discussed ways to promote mutual growth with the surrounding community, reaffirming their commitment to sustainable tourism development.

Participants also took part in a commemorative tree-planting to establish a windbreak forest, again pledging to create a sustainable tourism environment and strengthen public-private cooperation.

Rawon spans approximately 50,000 square meters and features two indoor digital exhibition halls, a covered walkway and an outdoor garden.

The complex reinterprets the history, culture and natural heritage of the Silla Kingdom through digital content and garden culture, offering media art installations, hands-on experience facilities and rest areas. It has drawn attention as a new cultural tourism destination in Gyeongju.

Visitor numbers have been strong since the April opening. As of June 23, the complex had welcomed a cumulative total of about 56,000 visitors.

"Rawon is a space that reinterprets the historical, cultural and natural values of Gyeongju through contemporary content," Gyeongju Mayor Ju Nak-young said. "We will continue to expand the range of exhibition and experience programs so that Rawon becomes a leading cultural tourism destination that both residents and visitors will want to return to."