SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea experienced a tourism surplus of $596.6 million in June 2026, marking its most robust monthly performance since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. This figure signifies a $1.44 billion increase compared to June 2025, when the country recorded an $846.8 million deficit. According to data from the Korea Tourism Organization, June ranked as the second-highest month for tourism surplus on record, with only October 2008 surpassing it with a surplus of $661.5 million.
The nation’s tourism balance had remained in deficit for 72 consecutive months from March 2020 through February 2026. In January, the deficit reached $1.4034 billion, followed by $1.0993 billion in February. However, the situation shifted in March, when the balance turned positive with a $263.8 million surplus. This positive trend continued into April with $159.9 million and in May with $220.5 million, leading into June with sustained recovery.
In June, tourism revenue amounted to $2.784 billion, while tourism expenditures totaled $2.1874 billion. Visitors from abroad spent an average of $1,397 per person during the month, whereas South Korean outbound travelers spent an average of $1,091. This difference between receipts and spending resulted in a fourth consecutive month of surplus, marking a significant turnaround from earlier deficits at the start of 2026.
Visitor numbers surge significantly in June
In June, South Korea welcomed 1,993,128 international visitors, reflecting a 23.1% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The largest source market remained China with 649,582 visitors, up 36.2% from June 2025. Japan followed with 348,216 arrivals, an increase of 21.3%. Taiwan contributed 223,127 visitors, while arrivals from the Americas reached 219,948 and Europe accounted for 119,445 visitors.
For 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 reached 10.0389 trillion won, a 50.8% growth. In June alone, card spending hit 2.0544 trillion won, up 66.4% year over year. The Korea Tourism Organization also reported 395,246 international arrivals through regional airports in June, an increase of 42.5%.
Tourism expenditure growth aligns with rising visitor numbers
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also highlighted increased activity from markets beyond South Korea’s primary Asian tourist sources. Arrivals from the Americas totaled 1,077,287 during the first half of the year, a 12.7% increase from the previous year. European visitors rose by 20.2% to 738,943, with other long-haul regions also seeing growth. The United States contributed 811,974 visitors through June, up 11.1%, while Canada brought in 157,003, a rise of 17.1%.
The June surplus signifies a notable shift from the pattern of annual tourism deficits exceeding $10 billion, which South Korea experienced in recent years. Those deficits totaled $10.38 billion in 2023, $10.21 billion in 2024, and $10.76 billion in 2025. By June 2026, the monthly tourism balance had remained positive for four consecutive months. The surplus in June alone was $596.6 million, marking the largest monthly tourism surplus since the pandemic and the second-highest ever recorded.