Foreign arrivals in S. Korea surpass 10 million, on course to new annual high (opens original article in a new tab)

South Korea's foreign arrivals surpassed 10 million in 2026, reaching the milestone earlier than last year with strong growth in inbound tourism and spending.

• South Korea welcomed over 10 million foreign visitors in 2026, reaching the milestone by mid-June, earlier than last year's mid-July mark.
• Inbound travel saw a 19.4% increase in May compared to the previous year, with 1.95 million visitors recorded.
• Foreign visitors spent 2.12 trillion won in May, the first time monthly spending exceeded 2 trillion won since 2018.