Seoul, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – Nearly 2 million international tourists visited the Republic of Korea in June, propelling the total count of foreign arrivals in the first six months of the year past a significant threshold. Data released by the Emirates News Agency confirmed that Korea’s foreign tourist entries surpassed 10 million in H1, driven by consistent double-digit growth in key regional markets. According to statistics from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, June alone saw 1.99 million foreign visitors, marking a 23.1 percent rise over the same month last year. This strong monthly increase brought the cumulative figure for the first half of the year to 10.71 million arrivals, representing a 21.3 percent increase from the 8.8 million recorded during the same period in 2025 and surpassing pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 26.9 percent.
Throughout the first half of this year, East Asian neighboring countries continued to serve as the primary contributors to South Korea’s tourism growth. Data on inbound travel shows mainland China remained the leading source of international visitors, with 650,000 arrivals in June and experiencing the fastest year-on-year growth among major source countries. Total Chinese visitors for the January-June period reached 3.21 million. Japan ranked second with 350,000 visitors in June, bringing its six-month total to 1.95 million. Taiwan maintained its third place as the top origin, with 220,000 arrivals in June and a total of 1.15 million visitors for the first half of the year.
Expanding beyond traditional East Asian markets helped reinforce South Korea’s tourism recovery. Official entry data revealed that long-haul arrivals from North America hit 220,000 in June, with 177,744 coming from the United States, leading to a half-year total of 810,000 American visitors. European countries collectively brought in 120,000 visitors in June, while the six main Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, contributed a combined 230,000 travelers. Officials highlighted notable momentum from both Taiwan and the United States, with visitor volumes rising by over 160 percent compared to the first-half figures from 2019, prior to global travel restrictions.
First Half International Tourist Numbers Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels
Data on transport logistics indicates that commercial flights remained the primary means of entry, with air travel accounting for 1.74 million foreign arrivals in June. Notably, international travel patterns show a shift away from Seoul’s main gateways as regional airports experienced faster growth than the city’s primary airports in the Seoul metropolitan area. June arrivals through regional airports, including 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. This growth significantly outpaced the 18.2 percent rise seen at major capital airports such as Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport.
The remarkable rebound in international arrivals generated record-breaking revenue for Korea’s hospitality and retail sectors in the first half of the year. The Korea Tourism Organization’s financial data show foreign visitor credit card spending exceeded 6.8 billion U.S. dollars, setting a new tourism revenue record. Sector analysis revealed that foreign tourist arrivals in H1 reached over 10 million, with total spending hitting the historic $6.8 billion mark about three months earlier than in 2025, when such expenditures didn’t surpass that threshold until September.
June Sees Nearly 2 Million Foreign Visitors Arriving in Korea
Officials in charge of tourism attribute the ongoing growth to strategic policy adjustments, expanded flight routes, and Korea’s growing international popularity driven by Korean cultural exports. Recent measures include extending temporary visa-free programs for organized Chinese tour groups and restoring international flight services, simplifying procedures for short-term travelers. Urban development reports from the Seoul AI Foundation noted that foreign tourists are increasingly venturing beyond the typical capital attractions, leading to double-digit increases at outdoor markets, cultural sites, and hiking spots such as Achasan and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
Achieving the 10 million arrival milestone before mid-year boosts government forecasts of reaching 22 to 23 million international tourists by year-end. Officials expect the travel momentum to further accelerate in the latter half of 2023, supported by summer holidays, autumn festivals, and increased international flights connecting regional airports with major Asian cities. With the foreign visitor count already exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 figures by nearly 27 percent, tourism authorities continue collaborating with hospitality providers, regional governments, and transportation companies to maintain infrastructure capacity and develop regional travel opportunities nationwide.