Korea welcomed 12.8 million foreign tourists in the first seven months of 2026, up 21.3 percent from a year earlier, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday. Japanese travelers were a major driver, with 2.28 million visitors and a record 28 percent of all Japanese outbound travelers choosing Korea. Foreign tourist card spending reached 12.09 trillion won through July, while officials also pointed to more Japan-Korea flight seats and targeted regional airport campaigns.
Japanese tourists wait in a queue outside a currency exchange in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, April 28, 2024. Korea Times file
Korea welcomed 12.8 million foreign tourists in the first seven months of 2026, a 21.3 percent increase from 10.56 million during the same period last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday.
Japanese travelers were a key driver.
Through July, 28 percent of all Japanese people who traveled abroad chose Korea as their destination, the highest share on record and up 3.5 percentage points from a year earlier and outpacing the United States, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam as a destination for outbound travel.
