{
  "id": 3704685,
  "title": "1 in 5 foreign tourists enter Korea via regional airports",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/1-in-5-foreign-tourists-enter-korea-via-regional-airports-3704685",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-27T08:52:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/travel-food/20260827/1-in-5-foreign-tourists-enter-korea-via-regional-airports"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Foreign tourists to South Korea are increasingly arriving through regional airports, according to new data from the Korea Tourism Organization. An analysis released on Thursday revealed that 20.7 percent of all foreign arrivals, or one in every five visitors, entered the country via non-capital region airports. Cheongju International Airport saw a remarkable 109.1 percent increase in international travelers compared to the same period last year. This surge in regional airport usage was driven largely by Taiwanese tourists and the growth of budget airlines. By the end of July, foreign tourist arrivals had reached 12.8 million, a 21.3 percent increase from the previous year. KTO President Park Sung-hyeuck emphasized the broader recovery of the nation's tourism industry, highlighting the role of regional airports, local destinations, and Korean content in attracting international visitors.",
  "summary": "One out of every five foreign visitors entering Korea now arrives through regional airports outside the capital area, as expanded low-cost carrier routes and surging international demand change the way international tourists travel in Korea. According to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) at a seminar, Thursday, regional entry points such as Cheongju, Daegu, Gimhae and Jeju…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "1 in 5 foreign tourists enter Korea via regional airports",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/1-in-5-foreign-tourists-enter-korea-via-regional-airports",
        "published": "2026-08-27T08:02:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}