SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea saw a tourism surplus of $596.6 million in June 2026, marking its most robust monthly figure since the onset of COVID-19. This result represents a $1.44 billion increase compared to June 2025, which recorded an $846.8 million deficit. According to Korea Tourism Organization data, June’s surplus ranks as the second-largest monthly on record, with only October 2008 surpassing it at $661.5 million.
The tourism balance had experienced a deficit for 72 consecutive months, spanning from March 2020 to February 2026. In January, the shortfall was $1.4034 billion, followed by a $1.0993 billion deficit in February. The balance turned positive in March, with a $263.8 million surplus, continuing its upward trend into April at $159.9 million and May at $220.5 million, leading into June’s recovery.
Tourism revenue in June reached $2.784 billion, with expenditures totaling $2.1874 billion. Foreign visitors spent an average of $1,397 each during that month, while outbound Korean travelers spent an average of $1,091. The difference between incoming tourism receipts and outbound spending resulted in a fourth consecutive monthly surplus, a notable shift from the deficits seen at the start of 2026.
Visitor numbers surged notably in June
In June, South Korea hosted 1,993,128 international tourists, reflecting a 23.1% increase from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. China remained the leading source market with 649,582 visitors, up 36.2% from June 2025. Japan followed with 348,216 arrivals, an increase of 21.3%. Visitors from Taiwan numbered 223,127, while arrivals from the Americas reached 219,948 and Europe contributed 119,445.
During the first half of 2026, international arrivals totaled 10,709,919, representing a 21% rise from the previous year. Credit card spending by foreign tourists summed up to 10.0389 trillion won during this period, a 50.8% increase. In June alone, card spending amounted to 2.0544 trillion won, which is a 66.4% rise year-over-year. Additionally, the Korea Tourism Organization recorded 395,246 international arrivals through regional airports in June, increasing by 42.5%.
Tourism expenditures grow alongside visitor numbers
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also reported increases from markets outside Korea’s primary Asian source countries. Arrivals from the Americas reached 1,077,287 in the first half of the year, a 12.7% rise from last year. European visitors grew by 20.2%, totaling 738,943, with other long-haul markets also seeing gains. The United States contributed 811,974 visitors through June, up 11.1%, and Canada added 157,003, an increase of 17.1%.
The June surplus marked the end of a three-year streak of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion. These deficits stood at $10.38 billion in 2023, $10.21 billion in 2024, and $10.76 billion in 2025. As of June 2026, the monthly tourism balance has been positive for four consecutive months. June’s receipts surpassed expenditures by $596.6 million, resulting in South Korea’s largest monthly tourism surplus since the pandemic and its second-highest on record.