Seoul, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – The Republic of Korea welcomed nearly 2 million international visitors in June. This pushed the total foreign arrivals during the first six months of the year beyond a significant milestone. The official data from the Emirates News Agency confirmed that Korea’s foreign tourist numbers exceeded 10 million in H1, supported by consistent double-digit growth from key regional markets. Data compiled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that 1.99 million foreign tourists visited in June alone, marking a 23.1 percent rise compared to the same month last year. This strong monthly increase lifted the total for the first half of the year to 10.71 million visitors, which is a 21.3 percent increase from the 8.8 million recorded during the same period in 2025. It also surpasses pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 26.9 percent.
Throughout the first half of the year, East Asian neighbors continued to be the main drivers of South Korea’s tourism growth. Inbound travel data indicate that mainland China remained the largest source of international visitors, with 650,000 arrivals in June. China also had the fastest year-on-year growth among major source countries. Overall, Chinese visitors reached 3.21 million arrivals from January to June. Japan ranked second with 350,000 visitors in June, bringing its six-month total to 1.95 million. Taiwan maintained its third position, contributing 220,000 arrivals in June and a total of 1.15 million visitors over the first half of the year.
Diversification of international sources beyond traditional East Asian markets added further momentum to South Korea’s tourism recovery. Official entry figures show that long-haul arrivals from North America reached 220,000 visitors in June. The United States accounted for 177,744 of these travelers, making the total American inbound arrivals for the first six months 810,000. European countries collectively brought in 120,000 visitors during June, while the six primary Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, contributed a combined 230,000 travelers. Analysts from the government highlighted that visitor numbers from Taiwan and the United States grew particularly quickly, increasing by more than 160 percent compared to the baseline figures from the first half of 2019, before global travel restrictions.
International Tourist Numbers in the First Half Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels
Data on transportation logistics show that commercial flights remained the main method of entry for inbound travelers, with air travel totaling 1.74 million foreign arrivals in June. Notably, international arrivals are becoming more dispersed across the country. There has been an accelerated growth at regional airports compared to major gateways in the Seoul metropolitan area. Arrivals through regional airports such as Gimhae International Airport in Busan, Daegu International Airport, Jeju International Airport, and Cheongju International Airport increased by 42.5 percent year-on-year to reach 395,246 visitors in June. This growth significantly outpaced the 18.2 percent increase seen at primary capital airports like Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport.
The rapid rebound in international arrivals has brought unprecedented revenue for Korea’s hospitality and retail sectors during the first half of the year. According to figures published by the Korea Tourism Organization, foreign visitors’ credit card spending exceeded 6.8 billion U.S. dollars in this period, setting a new record for tourism income. Analysts note that Korea’s foreign tourist arrivals surpassed 10 million in H1. The total spending of 6.8 billion U.S. dollars was achieved about three months earlier than in 2025, when such expenditures did not exceed that level until September.
June’s Arrival Figures Reach Nearly 2 Million Foreign Visitors
Tourism authorities attribute the continued growth to strategic policy changes, increased air route capacity, and the global popularity of Korean cultural exports. Policies such as extending temporary visa-free entry for organized Chinese tour groups and restoring international flight routes have directly eased entry procedures for short-term visitors. Urban planning reports from the Seoul AI Foundation indicate that foreign tourists are increasingly exploring destinations outside traditional capital landmarks. This trend has led to double-digit visitor increases at outdoor markets, cultural sites, and hiking areas like Achasan and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
Achieving the 10 million arrivals milestone before mid-year strengthens government forecasts aiming for 22 million to 23 million international tourists by year’s end. Officials expect the momentum to grow further in the second half, aided by peak summer holidays, autumn festivals, and additional international flights connecting regional airports with major Asian cities. With foreign visitor numbers already exceeding 2019 pre-pandemic levels by nearly 27 percent, tourism agencies are actively working with hospitality providers, regional authorities, and transportation companies to maintain infrastructure capacity and broaden regional travel options nationwide.