SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea registered a tourism surplus of $596.6 million in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly figure since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This improvement of approximately $1.44 billion compared to June 2025, when a deficit of $846.8 million was recorded, highlights a significant turnaround. Data from the Korea Tourism Organization shows that June’s surplus ranks as the second-highest on record, with the only larger figure occurring in October 2008, when the surplus hit $661.5 million.
The June outcome signifies South Korea’s continued recovery, marking the fourth consecutive month with a positive tourism balance. From March 2020 through February 2026, the country experienced 72 consecutive months of deficits. The first month of the year, January, saw a $1.4034 billion shortfall, with February trailing at $1.0993 billion. The balance turned positive again in March with a surplus of $263.8 million, followed by $159.9 million in April and $220.5 million in May.
Tourism earnings totaled $2.784 billion in June, while South Korean travelers spent $2.1874 billion abroad. On average, foreign visitors spent $1,397 per person during this month, whereas outbound Korean travelers spent an average of $1,091 each. The difference between inbound tourism income and outbound expenditure resulted in the $596.6 million surplus, which is the largest positive monthly balance in over 17 years.
Visitor numbers from key markets see upward trend
In June, South Korea welcomed 1,993,128 international travelers, representing a 23.1% increase from the same period in 2025. Among the top sources, China contributed 649,582 visitors, remaining the largest inbound market, with arrivals from China rising by 36.2% year-over-year. Japan followed with 348,216 visitors, an increase of 21.3%, while Taiwan brought in 223,127 arrivals. Visitors from the Americas totaled 219,948, and European visitors reached 119,445 during June.
The first half of 2026 saw international arrivals total 10,709,919, reflecting a 21% growth compared to the previous year. During this period, foreign tourists’ credit card spending reached 10.0389 trillion won, a 50.8% rise from the same months in 2025. In June alone, card spending amounted to 2.0544 trillion won, which is a 66.4% increase year-over-year. Additionally, the Korea Tourism Organization noted that 395,246 international arrivals occurred through regional airports in June, up by 42.5%.
Growing arrivals bolster tourism income
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported positive trends from several major long-haul markets in the first half of the year. Arrivals from the Americas numbered 1,077,287, which is a 12.7% increase from the previous year. European visitors grew by 20.2%, reaching 738,943 over the same period. The United States accounted for 811,974 visitors, up by 11.1%, while Canada contributed an additional 157,003 arrivals, rising 17.1% compared to the first half of 2025.
Following three years of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion, South Korea’s latest monthly surplus marks a notable turnaround. The country experienced deficits of $10.38 billion in 2023 and $10.21 billion in 2024. In 2025, the yearly shortfall was $10.76 billion. However, by June 2026, the monthly balance had been positive for four straight months. The June tourism receipts surpassed outbound tourism expenditure by $596.6 million, achieving the country’s largest monthly surplus since the pandemic and its second-highest figure ever.