March 2026: Foreign Tourists in South Korea Surpass 2 Million - What’s Driving This Surge?

Han Ji-i | 2026.05.02

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Foreign visitors to South Korea topped 2.046 million in March, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The Korea Tourism Organization reported 2,046,000 arrivals for the month, a 26.7% increase from a year earlier. That total is more than 30% higher than March 2019, before COVID-19. China led the way with about 500,000 visitors, followed by Japan, Taiwan and the United States. Analysts say the surge was largely driven by international fans traveling for BTS’s comeback concerts. Meanwhile, outbound travel by South Koreans rose by more than 4% over the same period. Yonhap News TV — For story inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk/LINE jebo23; Han Ji-yi (hanji@yna.co.kr)