KRForeign arrivals to South Korea increased by 21.3% to 12.8 million through July 2026, with credit card spending rising 48.3% to 12.09 trillion won. Japan remains South Korea's top tourist market, accounting for 28% of Japanese outbound travel, up from 24.5% a year earlier. Conversely, South Korea recorded 9.46 million visits from Japanese tourists in 2025, while Japan welcomed only 3.65 million Korean visitors. The trend reflects factors such as the weakened yen, cultural exports like K-pop and K-beauty, and increased air connectivity. China remains the largest source of tourists, contributing 3.99 million visitors through July. Officials attributed the growth to expanded flight capacity, cultural appeal, and economic conditions.
Bias read (Center): The article presents balanced reporting on bilateral tourism trends between Japan and South Korea, citing statistical data and official sources without overt ideological framing. It highlights mutual interest but does not favor one nation's perspective over the other. The focus is on economic and文旅（
