SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea reported a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly result since the COVID-19 outbreak. This figure represents an improvement of approximately $1.44 billion compared to June 2025, when the country experienced an $846.8 million deficit. According to data from the Korea Tourism Organization, June’s surplus ranks as the second-highest on record for the country. The only month with a higher surplus was October 2008, when it reached $661.5 million.
The June data continues South Korea’s streak of four consecutive months with a positive tourism balance. The country had faced deficits for 72 straight months, from March 2020 through February 2026. In January, the deficit amounted to $1.4034 billion, followed by $1.0993 billion in February. The balance turned positive in March with a surplus of $263.8 million. It remained in surplus in April at $159.9 million and in May at $220.5 million.
Tourism earnings reached $2.784 billion in June. Meanwhile, South Korean residents’ outbound spending totaled $2.1874 billion. On average, foreign visitors spent $1,397 per person during that month. Outbound travelers from South Korea spent an average of $1,091 each. This gap between inbound tourism income and outbound expenditure resulted in a $596.6 million surplus. It was the largest positive monthly balance in over 17 years.
Increase in International Visitors Seen Across Major Source Countries
In June, South Korea hosted 1,993,128 international visitors, reflecting a 23.1% rise from the same period in 2025. China remained the leading source market with 649,582 visitors, experiencing a 36.2% increase from the previous year. Japan followed with 348,216 visitors, up 21.3%, and Taiwan contributed 223,127 arrivals. Visitors from the Americas totaled 219,948, while European tourists numbered 119,445 in June.
Over the first six months of 2026, international arrivals reached 10,709,919, representing a 21% growth compared to the same period in 2025. During this period, foreign tourists’ credit card expenditures in South Korea hit 10.0389 trillion won, a rise of 50.8% from the first half of 2025. In June alone, card spending reached 2.0544 trillion won, which is a 66.4% increase year-over-year. Additionally, the Korea Tourism Organization documented 395,246 international arrivals via regional airports in June, an increase of 42.5%.
Travel Volume and Revenue Growth Supported by Rising Arrivals
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported positive trends from several long-haul markets during the first half of 2026. Arrivals from the Americas totaled 1,077,287, reflecting a 12.7% increase from the previous year. European visitors numbered 738,943, up 20.2% over the same period. The United States contributed 811,974 visitors, representing an 11.1% rise, while Canada brought in 157,003 tourists, up 17.1% compared to the first six months of 2025.
South Korea’s recent monthly surplus follows three years of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion. The country posted deficits of $10.38 billion in 2023 and $10.21 billion in 2024, with the shortfall reaching $10.76 billion in 2025. However, by June 2026, the monthly tourism balance stayed positive for four consecutive months. The June surplus of $596.6 million, which surpasses outbound tourism spending, stands as the country’s largest monthly surplus since the pandemic and its second-highest on record ever.
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