South Korea records over 15 mn foreign arrivals in 8 months
South Korea representative image
August emerged as a record-breaking month, with 2.25 million foreign visitors entering the country.
South Korea’s inbound tourism market reportedly reaches a new milestone, as online reports indicate that international arrivals crosses the 15-million mark between January and August 2026.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the country welcomed 15.05 million overseas visitors during the period, marking a 21.6% rise over the 12.38 million arrivals recorded in the corresponding period last year. August also emerged as a record-breaking month, with 2.25 million foreign visitors entering the country.
The growth in arrivals has been accompanied by a sharp increase in visitor spending. Foreign tourists generated KRW 14 trillion (approximately USD 10.3 billion) in tourism-related card transactions during the first eight months of the year, representing a 48.5% year-on-year increase.
Inbound tourism growth is also spreading beyond the greater Seoul area. Visitors entering South Korea through regional airports and ports accounted for 27.8% of total international arrivals during the January-August period, reportedly the highest share recorded so far this year.
Major source markets continued to register gains, where arrivals from China increased 29% year on year to 4.8 million, while Taiwan recorded a 32.2% increase, reaching 1.66 million visitors.
Southeast Asia also remained an important contributor to South Korea’s inbound tourism growth. The Philippines was the largest source market in the region, accounting for 454,000 arrivals, followed by Vietnam with 407,000, Indonesia with 295,000, Singapore with 243,000, Thailand with 230,000 and Malaysia with 207,000.
