SEJONG - South Korea recorded 10.71 million foreign visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026.
June brought 1.99 million arrivals, 23.1% more than a year earlier, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. China remained the largest source market with 650,000 visitors that month, followed by Japan with 350,000 and Taiwan with 220,000.
Regional airports recorded particularly strong growth. About 390,000 visitors entered through Gimhae, Daegu, Jeju, Cheongju and other regional airports, up 42.5% from June 2025. That outpaced the 23.1% overall increase in June arrivals.
Foreign tourists spent 2.0544 trillion won by card in June, pushing first-half expenditure above 10 trillion won. South Korea reached that level around three months earlier than it did in 2025.
“The increase in arrivals through regional airports and in tourism spending is also an encouraging result,” said Kang Jung-won, head of the ministry’s Tourism Policy Office.
The stronger tourism figures were announced as the government prepared tighter enforcement against misleading accommodation prices. The Cabinet approved an amendment to the Tourism Promotion Act’s enforcement decree on July 28, with promulgation and implementation scheduled for Aug. 4.
Under the amendment, foreign-tourist urban homestays and hanok experience businesses — accommodation operated in traditional Korean houses — may face a five-day suspension for a first violation if they fail to display room prices or charge more than the advertised rate.
Urban homestays will also become formally required to post and honor their prices.
The rules are narrower than a general crackdown on all accommodation providers. General lodging and serviced-residence businesses became subject to similar first-offence penalties under public-health regulations that took effect July 14.
The government said the tougher sanctions are intended to protect consumers and maintain order in the tourism market.
