SEOUL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 10th Aug, 2026) South Korea‘s tourism balance hit a record surplus since the COVID-19 pandemic period, thanks to the popularity of the country’s pop culture, industry data showed.
The country’s travel account was in the black by US$596.6 million in June, marking a dramatic turnaround from the same month a year earlier when the deficit stood at $846.8 million, according to the data from the Korea Tourism Organisation.
The June figure is the second highest since October 2008, when the country recorded a surplus of $661.
5 million from the tourism sector.
South Korea’s tourism balance had continued to remain in the red for 72 consecutive months since March 2020, during the spread of the pandemic, but swung to the black in March this year and continued to post a surplus, Yonhap news Agency reported, citing the agency figures.
Total revenue generated from the tourism sector in June was $2.78 billion, with each foreign tourist spending an average of $1,397 per person, the data also showed.
