SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea recorded a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly result since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The figure represents an increase of approximately $1.44 billion compared to June 2025, when the country faced an $846.8 million deficit. Data from the Korea Tourism Organization identified June as the second-highest monthly tourism surplus on record, with only October 2008 surpassing it at $661.5 million.
This June figure extends South Korea’s streak of positive tourism balances to four consecutive months, after enduring deficits for 72 months from March 2020 through February 2026. The year started with a $1.4034 billion shortfall in January, followed by a $1.0993 billion deficit in February. The tide turned in March with a $263.8 million surplus, which grew to $159.9 million in April and $220.5 million in May.
Tourism revenues hit $2.784 billion in June, while South Korean travelers spent $2.1874 billion abroad. On average, international visitors spent $1,397 each, whereas outbound Korean travelers spent an average of $1,091. This gap between inbound earnings and outbound expenditures resulted in the $596.6 million surplus, the largest positive monthly balance in over 17 years.
International Tourist Numbers Grow Significantly in Key Markets
In June, South Korea welcomed 1,993,128 foreign visitors, up 23.1% from the same month in 2025. China remained the leading source market with 649,582 visitors, increasing by 36.2% year-on-year. Japan followed with 348,216 visitors, a rise of 21.3%, and Taiwan accounted for 223,127 arrivals. Visitors from the Americas totaled 219,948, while European arrivals reached 119,445 during June.
Over the first half of 2026, international arrivals totaled 10,709,919, reflecting a 21% year-on-year growth. Foreign tourists spent a total of 10.0389 trillion won on credit cards, an increase of 50.8% compared to the first half of 2025. In June alone, card spending reached 2.0544 trillion won, a 66.4% rise from the previous year. Additionally, regional airports recorded 395,246 international arrivals in June, up 42.5%.
Tourism Revenue Boosted by Growing Visitor Numbers
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism noted increases from several long-haul markets during the first half of the year. Arrivals from the Americas reached 1,077,287, a 12.7% increase from a year earlier. European visitors numbered 738,943, up 20.2%, with the United States contributing 811,974 visitors (up 11.1%) and Canada adding 157,003 arrivals (up 17.1%).
South Korea’s latest monthly surplus follows three years of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion, with $10.38 billion in 2023, $10.21 billion in 2024, and a peak of $10.76 billion in 2025. As of June 2026, the country posted four straight months of positive monthly balances. June’s tourism earnings surpassed outbound spending by $596.6 million, marking the largest monthly surplus since the pandemic and the second-highest ever.