Seoul, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – The Republic of Korea recorded nearly 2 million international arrivals in June, propelling the total number of foreign visitors entering the country during the initial six months of the year beyond a significant milestone. Official data from the government, published by Emirates News Agency, confirmed that Korea’s foreign tourist numbers surpassed 10 million in H1, driven by sustained double-digit growth across major regional source markets. Data compiled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that 1.99 million foreign tourists arrived in June alone, marking a 23.1 percent increase compared to the same month last year. This strong monthly growth pushed the cumulative first-half total to 10.71 million visitors, reflecting a 21.3 percent rise 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 the year, East Asian neighboring countries continued to be the primary contributors to South Korea’s tourism recovery, with inbound travel figures showing that mainland China remained the leading single source of international visitors, generating 650,000 arrivals in June and exhibiting the fastest year-on-year growth rate among major source countries. The cumulative figures for the first six months indicate that Chinese visitors reached a total of 3.21 million arrivals from January to June. Japan ranked as the second-largest inbound market with 350,000 visitors in June, bringing its six-month total to 1.95 million travelers. Meanwhile, Taiwan maintained its position as the third-largest source market, with 220,000 arrivals during June and a total of 1.15 million inbound visitors across the first half of the year.
Expanding the geographic distribution beyond traditional East Asian markets has provided additional momentum to South Korea’s tourism revival. Official entry data show that long-haul arrivals from North America reached 220,000 visitors in June, with the United States accounting for 177,744 of those travelers, bringing the total American inbound figure for the first half of the year to 810,000. European countries collectively contributed 120,000 arrivals in June, while the six main Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, combined for 230,000 travelers. Analysts from the government highlighted that visitor volumes from both Taiwan and the United States experienced particularly strong momentum, increasing by more than 160 percent compared to baseline figures from the first half of 2019, prior to the global travel restrictions.
Mainland China and Japan Dominate Regional Inbound Market Expansion
Transport and logistics data revealed that commercial flights remained the primary route for inbound travelers, with air travel accounting for 1.74 million foreign arrivals in June. Notably, international entry patterns showed a rapid decentralization from Seoul’s primary gateways, as regional airports experienced accelerated growth relative to the major airports in the Seoul metropolitan area. Inbound 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 rate significantly outpaced the 18.2 percent increase seen at key capital gateways like Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport.
The surge in international arrivals generated historic financial gains for Korea’s hospitality and retail sectors during the first half of the year. The Korea Tourism Organization’s financial metrics showed that foreign visitor credit card expenditures exceeded 6.8 billion U.S. dollars, setting a new record for tourism revenue. Sector analysts highlighted that Korea’s foreign tourist arrivals surpassed 10 million in H1, reaching the notable milestone of 6.8 billion U.S. dollars in card spending about three months earlier than in 2025, when expenditures did not exceed that amount until September.
Chinese Tourist Numbers Maintain Growth Trajectory
Authorities in charge of tourism attribute the ongoing expansion in inbound travel to strategic policy adjustments, increased air route capacity, and the rising international appeal of Korean cultural exports. Measures such as extending temporary visa-free entry programs for organized Chinese tour groups and re-establishing international flight routes directly facilitated easier entry for short-term visitors. Reports from the Seoul AI Foundation revealed that foreign travelers are increasingly exploring destinations outside traditional capital landmarks, leading to double-digit increases in visitors to outdoor markets, cultural sites, and hiking trails such as Achasan and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
Achieving the 10 million visitor mark before reaching mid-year strengthens government forecasts aiming for between 22 million and 23 million international tourists by year-end. Officials from the Ministry expect this momentum to accelerate during the second half of the year, supported by peak summer vacation seasons, autumn festivals, and additional international flights connecting regional airports to major Asian cities. Already surpassing 2019 pre-pandemic visitor numbers by nearly 27 percent, Korea’s tourism agencies continue to coordinate with hospitality providers, local governments, and transportation companies to maintain infrastructure capacity and expand regional travel opportunities nationwide.