Looking to channel post-pandemic travel fervor inward, Korea’s state tourism agency is joining forces with the country's most powerful business lobbies to convince citizens that the ultimate summer getaway is in their own backyard. The state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) will take over the Yeouido Hangang Park’s Mulbit Stage square in Seoul, Saturday, to launch the "K-Vacation" campaign. Operating under the slogan "Travel Close to Home, Heat Up Domestic Demand," the initiative aims to reinvigorate regional economies by steering vacationers away from crowded international departure gates and toward the country's lesser-known provinces. The coordinated push is the direct result of a major joint compact signed last winter between four high-profile government ministries — including the interior, culture, agriculture and maritime ministries — and six major business organizations, led by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). Together, these public and private sector giants are pooling resources to counter a chronic economic drain caused by a surging deficit in Korea’s i