SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea recorded a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly performance since the COVID-19 outbreak. 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 highlighted June as the second-highest month for tourism surplus on record, surpassed only by October 2008 when the surplus hit $661.5 million.
This June figure extended South Korea’s streak of four months with a positive tourism balance. The nation had experienced deficits for 72 consecutive months from March 2020 through February 2026. In January, the deficit was $1.4034 billion, followed by a $1.0993 billion shortfall in February. The balance turned positive in March at $263.8 million. It stayed in the black with $159.9 million in April and $220.5 million in May.
Tourism earnings reached $2.784 billion in June, with South Korean residents abroad spending a total of $2.1874 billion. On average, foreign visitors spent $1,397 per person during that month, while outbound South Korean travelers averaged $1,091 each. The gap between inbound tourism revenue and outbound expenditure resulted in the $596.6 million surplus, marking the largest positive monthly balance in over 17 years.
Increase in International Visitors from Key Markets
In June, South Korea welcomed 1,993,128 international travelers, a 23.1% rise compared to the same month in 2025. China remained the leading source of inbound tourists with 649,582 visitors, a 36.2% increase from the previous year. Japan ranked second with 348,216 visitors, up 21.3%, while Taiwan brought in 223,127 arrivals. Visitors from the Americas totaled 219,948, and European visitors numbered 119,445 for June.
During the first half of 2026, international arrivals reached 10,709,919, reflecting a 21% increase year-over-year. Foreign tourist credit card spending hit 10.0389 trillion won over this period, a growth of 50.8% compared to the same timeframe in 2025. June alone saw card transactions totaling 2.0544 trillion won, an increase of 66.4% from the previous year. The Korea Tourism Organization also noted 395,246 international arrivals through regional airports in June, up 42.5%.
Tourism Revenue Gains Driven by Growing Visitor Numbers
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported positive trends from various long-haul markets during the first half of the year. Arrivals from the Americas totaled 1,077,287, an increase of 12.7% from a year earlier. European visitors grew by 20.2%, reaching 738,943 in total. The United States contributed 811,974 visitors, an 11.1% rise, while Canada added 157,003 arrivals, up 17.1% compared with the first six months of 2025.
South Korea’s recent monthly surplus follows three consecutive years of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion. In 2023, the country experienced a deficit of $10.38 billion, followed by $10.21 billion in 2024. The shortfall reached $10.76 billion in 2025. However, as of June 2026, the monthly balance has remained positive for four straight months. The June surplus of $596.6 million was the largest since the pandemic period and the second-largest ever recorded in a single month.