South Korea's Tourism Balance Posts Fourth Straight Monthly Surplus, June Hits KRW 2 Trillion Turnaround

Two tourists wearing Hanbok, Korea's traditional attire, stroll through Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul's Jongno-gu District on April 20. (Korea.net DB)

South Korea's tourism balance recorded its fourth consecutive month in surplus this June, marking the largest positive figure seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic era.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization's Tourism Data Lab released on August 9, the tourism surplus reached USD 596.6 million (approximately KRW 841.8 billion) in June. This represents a dramatic swing of USD 1.44 billion (around KRW 2.03 trillion) when compared to the USD 846.8 million deficit recorded in the same month of the previous year.

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The positive trend began in March with a surplus of USD 263.8 million, followed by USD 159.9 million in April and USD 220.5 million in May. The figure then surged close to USD 600 million just one month later in June.

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Strong spending by international visitors has been identified as the key driver behind this surge. Tourism revenue reached USD 2.78 billion in June, significantly outpacing outbound travel spending by Korean nationals, which stood at USD 2.18 billion.

On a per capita basis, foreign visitors spent an average of USD 1,397 (about KRW 1.97 million) during their stay in Korea, exceeding the USD 1,091 (roughly KRW 1.54 million) spent by Korean tourists traveling overseas.

These figures underscore South Korea's growing appeal as a global travel destination and the substantial economic benefits driven by inbound tourism.