SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea achieved a tourism surplus of $596.6 million in June 2026, the highest monthly figure since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This represents a $1.44 billion increase compared to June 2025, when the country recorded an $846.8 million deficit. Data from the Korea Tourism Organization reveal that June’s surplus is the second-largest on record, with only October 2008 surpassing it at $661.5 million.
After remaining in deficit for 72 consecutive months from March 2020 through February 2026, the tourism balance turned positive in March 2026 with a $263.8 million surplus. Following that, April saw a surplus of $159.9 million and May recorded $220.5 million, signaling a consistent recovery extending into June. January 2026 experienced a $1.4034 billion shortfall, with February at a $1.0993 billion deficit, but the trend shifted in March.
In June, tourism revenue reached $2.784 billion, while tourism expenditures amounted to $2.1874 billion. The average spend per foreign visitor in June was $1,397, whereas outbound South Korean travelers spent an average of $1,091. The gap between receipts and spending resulted in a fourth straight month of surplus, a significant turnaround from earlier deficits at the start of 2026.
Inbound visitor numbers rise sharply in June
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, South Korea received 1,993,128 international visitors in June, reflecting a 23.1% increase from the previous year. China remained the leading source market with 649,582 visitors, an increase of 36.2% compared to June 2025. Japan followed with 348,216 arrivals, up 21.3%. Visitors from Taiwan numbered 223,127, while arrivals from the Americas reached 219,948 and those from Europe totaled 119,445.
The total international arrivals for the first half of 2026 reached 10,709,919, an increase of 21% compared to the previous year. Foreign credit card spending by tourists amounted to 10.0389 trillion won during this period, a rise of 50.8%. In June alone, card spending hit 2.0544 trillion won, up 66.4% year-over-year. Additionally, the Korea Tourism Organization reported 395,246 international arrivals via regional airports in June, representing a 42.5% growth.
Tourism expenditure grows alongside rising visitor numbers
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also highlighted an increase in arrivals from markets outside South Korea’s main Asian sources. The first half of 2026 saw arrivals from the Americas totaling 1,077,287, a 12.7% growth from the previous year. European visitor numbers rose by 20.2% to 738,943, with other long-haul markets also showing gains. The United States contributed 811,974 visitors through June, an increase of 11.1%, while Canada added 157,003, up 17.1%.
This June’s positive balance comes after three consecutive years of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion, including $10.38 billion in 2023, $10.21 billion in 2024, and $10.76 billion in 2025. As of June 2026, the monthly tourism account has been in the black for four straight months, with receipts surpassing expenditures by $596.6 million in June—South Korea’s largest monthly tourism surplus since the pandemic and the second-largest on record.