Seoul, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – The Republic of Korea welcomed nearly 2 million international travelers in June. This brought the total foreign visitors for the first six months of the year past an important milestone. Official government statistics published by Emirates News Agency confirmed that Korea’s foreign tourist arrivals surpassed 10 million in H1, driven by sustained double-digit growth in key regional source markets. Data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that 1.99 million foreigners arrived in June alone. This is a 23.1 percent increase compared to the same month last year. The strong monthly growth pushed the cumulative total for the first half of the year to 10.71 million visitors. This represents a 21.3 percent rise from the 8.8 million recorded during the same period in 2025 and exceeds pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 26.9 percent.
East Asian neighbors continued to be the main drivers of South Korea’s tourism growth during the first half of the year. Data shows mainland China remained the top source of international visitors. In June, China brought in 650,000 arrivals and saw the fastest year-on-year growth among major source countries. For the first six months, Chinese visitors totaled 3.21 million. Japan was the second-largest source, with 350,000 visitors in June. Its six-month total reached 1.95 million. Taiwan stayed in third place, contributing 220,000 arrivals in June and a total of 1.15 million over the first half of the year.
Expanding the geographic reach beyond traditional East Asian markets helped boost South Korea’s international tourism recovery. Official data shows that long-haul arrivals from North America reached 220,000 in June. The United States accounted for 177,744 of these visitors, with the total American inbound travelers hitting 810,000 in the first half. European visitors totaled 120,000 in June. Meanwhile, the six main Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, contributed a combined 230,000 travelers. Officials highlighted that visitor numbers from Taiwan and the U.S. grew strongly, increasing by more than 160 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels from the first half of 2019.
Mainland China and Japan Drive Regional Tourism Growth
Transport data shows that commercial flights remain the main way travelers enter South Korea. Air travel accounted for 1.74 million arrivals in June. Notably, arrivals are decentralizing from Seoul, with regional airports seeing faster growth than the main gateways. Regional airports like Gimhae International Airport in Busan, Daegu International Airport, Jeju International Airport, and Cheongju International Airport saw a 42.5 percent increase year-on-year, reaching 395,246 visitors in June. This growth outpaced the 18.2 percent rise at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport.
The surge in international arrivals has brought record-breaking revenue for Korea’s hospitality and retail sectors. The Korea Tourism Organization reports that foreign visitor credit card spending exceeded 6.8 billion U.S. dollars in H1, setting a new tourism revenue record. Tourism analysts noted that Korea’s foreign tourist numbers surpassed 10 million in H1, and spending hit 6.8 billion dollars, roughly three months earlier than in 2025, when the same milestone was reached in September.
Chinese Travel Trends Continue to Accelerate
Officials credit targeted policy adjustments, expanded air routes, and the global appeal of Korean culture for the steady rise in inbound travelers. Measures such as extending visa-free programs for organized Chinese tour groups and restoring international flight routes have made entry easier for short-term visitors. Reports from Seoul’s AI Foundation show that foreign tourists increasingly visit destinations outside Seoul’s main landmarks. They are exploring outdoor markets, cultural sites, and hiking trails like Achasan and Dongdaemun Design Plaza, contributing to double-digit growth in these areas.
Reaching over 10 million arrivals before midyear supports government forecasts of attracting between 22 million and 23 million international tourists by year-end. Officials expect travel momentum to grow in the second half, boosted by summer vacations, fall festivals, and more international flights connecting regional airports with major Asian cities. With foreign visitor numbers already 27 percent above pre-pandemic 2019 levels, tourism authorities are working with hospitality providers, regional governments, and transport companies to maintain infrastructure and expand travel options nationwide.