A shuttle to Cheong Wa Dae that circuits back to Gyeongbokgung is free of charge for everyone starting this year.

The Cheong Wa Dae tour bus launched last June and was only free to people over 65, children under 8, pregnant women, and people with disabilities.

The number of passengers last year amounted to 49,820, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday.

The shuttle runs 12 times a day, 15 minutes apart. A separate shuttle with a wheelchair lift will also be in service.

The bus runs from 8:30 a.m., Monday to Friday, except on Tuesdays, when Cheong Wa Dae is closed, and will operate until Nov. 9.

Starting this year, the shuttle also stops at the Gyeongbokgung Station bus stop, and Tongui police outpost.

The shuttle, which departs from the Gyeongbokgung eastern parking lot, will not make a stop at the Gyeongbokgung Station bus stop if it is full. Visitors can opt to take a self-driving bus near the National Palace Museum of Korea bus stop that will also take them to Cheong Wa Dae.

"As the second year of opening Cheong Wa Dae, a symbol of Korean history and culture, there will be more measures to help facilitate a comfortable visit to Cheong Wa Dae," a ministry official said.