S. Korea welcomes record 15 mln foreign tourists by Aug.

Korea's tourism industry has reached unprecedented heights, propelled by a surge in international visitors and an increasing fascination with Korean pop culture. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported on Monday that Korea had welcomed 15.05 million foreign tourists through August 2026, marking a 21.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

This milestone was surpassed well ahead of schedule, with the country already reaching 15 million visitors by mid-October of the previous year. August alone set a new monthly record, attracting 2.25 million overseas travelers, surpassing the previous all-time monthly high.

The influx of tourists led to record spending, with foreign credit card transactions in the tourism sector surging 48.5 percent year-over-year to 14.02 trillion won (approximately $10.5 billion) through August. This growth outpaces that of neighboring Asian destinations, such as Japan, which experienced a 2.7 percent decline, and Thailand, which saw a 3.1 percent decrease over the same period.

Korea's arrival numbers surged across all major markets, with Taiwan leading the growth in Greater China at a 32.2 percent increase. Southeast Asian markets also demonstrated a positive trend.