Connects to the GitHub repository where the MCP server code is hosted, providing access to source code, issue tracking, and CI/CD workflows for the Korea Tourism API integration.
Distributes the MCP server as a Python package through PyPI, enabling easy installation and updates of the Korea Tourism API integration.
Korea Tourism API MCP Server ✈️
Unlock the wonders of South Korean tourism directly within your AI assistant! This project provides a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server powered by the official Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) API. Equip your AI with the ability to discover vibrant festivals, serene temples, delicious restaurants, comfortable accommodations, and much more across Korea.
Links:
- PyPI Package: https://pypi.org/project/mcp-korea-tourism-api/
- GitHub Repository: https://github.com/harimkang/mcp-korea-tourism-api
- Releases: https://github.com/harimkang/mcp-korea-tourism-api/releases
✨ Features
- Comprehensive Search: Find tourist spots, cultural sites, events, food, lodging, and shopping via keywords, area, or location.
- Rich Details: Access descriptions, operating hours, admission fees, photos, addresses, and contact information.
- Location-Aware: Discover attractions near specific GPS coordinates.
- Timely Information: Find festivals and events based on date ranges.
- Multilingual Support: Get information in various languages supported by the KTO API (including English).
- Supported Languages: English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, Spanese, German, French
- Efficient & Resilient:
- Response Caching: Uses time-to-live (TTL) caching to store results and reduce redundant API calls, improving speed.
- Rate Limiting: Respects API usage limits to prevent errors.
- Automatic Retries: Automatically retries requests in case of temporary network or server issues.
- MCP Standard: Seamlessly integrates with AI assistants supporting the Model Context Protocol.
⚠️ Prerequisites
Before you begin, you must obtain an API key from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Data Portal.
- Visit the KTO Data Portal (or the specific portal for the tourism API if available).
- Register and request an API key for the "TourAPI" services (you might need to look for services providing information like
areaBasedList
,searchKeyword
,detailCommon
, etc.). - Keep your Service Key (API Key) safe. It will be required during installation or runtime.
You need to apply for the API below to make a request for each language.
- English: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101753/openapi.do
- Japanese: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101760/openapi.do
- Simplified Chinese: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101764/openapi.do
- Traditional Chinese: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101769/openapi.do
- Russian: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101831/openapi.do
- Spanese: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101811/openapi.do
- German: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101805/openapi.do
- French: https://www.data.go.kr/data/15101808/openapi.do
🚀 Installation & Running
You can run this MCP server using either uv
(a fast Python package installer and runner) or Docker
.
Installing via Smithery
To install Korea Tourism API MCP Server for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:
Option 1: Using uv
(Recommended for local development)
- Clone the repository:
- Set the API Key Environment Variable:
Replace
"YOUR_KTO_API_KEY"
with the actual key you obtained.Note: For persistent storage, add this line to your shell's configuration file (e.g.,.zshrc
,.bashrc
, or use system environment variable settings). - Install dependencies and run the server:
This command uses
uv
to install dependencies based onuv.lock
(if available) orpyproject.toml
and then runs the server module.The server will start and listen for MCP requests via the specified transport protocol.
Option 2: Using Docker (Recommended for isolated environment/deployment)
- Clone the repository:
- Build the Docker Image:
You can build the image with different transport configurations:
- Run the Docker Container:
You can run the container with different transport configurations:
- Stdio Transport (Default - for MCP clients):
- HTTP Transport (for web applications):
- SSE Transport (for real-time applications):
- Using Docker Compose (Recommended):
- Stdio Transport (Default - for MCP clients):
🔧 Transport Configuration
The Korea Tourism API MCP Server supports multiple transport protocols to accommodate different use cases:
Available Transports
stdio
(Default): Standard input/output transport for direct MCP client integration- Best for: Claude Desktop, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible AI assistants
- Configuration: No additional setup required
streamable-http
: HTTP-based transport for web applications- Best for: Web applications, REST API integration, load balancers
- Features: HTTP endpoints, health checks, JSON responses
- Default endpoint:
http://localhost:8000/mcp
sse
: Server-Sent Events transport for real-time applications- Best for: Real-time web applications, event-driven architectures
- Features: Real-time streaming, persistent connections
- Default endpoint:
http://localhost:8080/mcp
Configuration Options
You can configure the server using command line arguments or environment variables:
Setting | CLI Argument | Environment Variable | Default | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Transport | --transport | MCP_TRANSPORT | stdio | Transport protocol to use |
Host | --host | MCP_HOST | 127.0.0.1 | Host address for HTTP transports |
Port | --port | MCP_PORT | 8000 | Port for HTTP transports |
Path | --path | MCP_PATH | /mcp | Path for HTTP endpoints |
Log Level | --log-level | MCP_LOG_LEVEL | INFO | Logging level |
Command Line Examples
Environment Variable Examples
Health Check
For HTTP and SSE transports, a health check endpoint is available at /health
:
🛠️ Integrating with Cursor
To use this MCP server within Cursor:
- Ensure the Docker container is runnable: Follow the Docker installation steps above to build the image (
mcp-korea-tourism-api
). You don't need to manually run the container; Cursor will do that. - Locate your
mcp.json
file: This file configures MCP tools for Cursor. You can usually find it via Cursor's settings or potentially in a path like~/.cursor/mcp.json
or similar. - Add or Update the MCP Configuration: Add the following JSON object to the list within your
mcp.json
file. If you already have an entry for this tool, update itscommand
. Replace"YOUR_KTO_API_KEY"
with your actual key.OR Use uv [local directory] - Save
mcp.json
. - Restart Cursor or Reload MCP Tools: Cursor should now detect the tool and use Docker to run it when needed.
🛠️ MCP Tools Provided
This server exposes the following tools for AI assistants:
search_tourism_by_keyword
: Search for tourism information using keywords (e.g., "Gyeongbokgung", "Bibimbap"). Filter by content type, area code.get_tourism_by_area
: Browse tourism information by geographic area codes (e.g., Seoul='1'). Filter by content type, district code.find_nearby_attractions
: Discover tourism spots near specific GPS coordinates (longitude, latitude). Filter by radius and content type.search_festivals_by_date
: Find festivals occurring within a specified date range (YYYYMMDD). Filter by area code.find_accommodations
: Search for hotels, guesthouses, etc. Filter by area and district code.get_detailed_information
: Retrieve comprehensive details (overview, usage time, parking, etc.) for a specific item using its Content ID. Filter by content type.get_tourism_images
: Get image URLs associated with a specific tourism item using its Content ID.get_area_codes
: Retrieve area codes (for cities/provinces) and optionally sub-area (district) codes.
⚙️ Requirements (for uv
method)
- Python 3.12+
uv
installed (pip install uv
)
Example Usage
An AI assistant integrated with this MCP could handle queries like:
- "Find restaurants near Myeongdong station."
- "Show me pictures of Bulguksa Temple."
- "Are there any festivals in Busan next month?"
- "Tell me more about Gyeongbokgung Palace, content ID 264337."
This server cannot be installed
remote-capable server
The server can be hosted and run remotely because it primarily relies on remote services or has no dependency on the local environment.
Enables AI assistants to access South Korean tourism information via the official Korea Tourism Organization API, providing comprehensive search for attractions, events, food, and accommodations with multilingual support.
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