The Republic of Korea (South Korea) welcomed 9.11 million foreign tourists from January to July this year, marking a 66.8 percent rise compared to the same timeframe last year.
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) reported on Thursday via Yonhap News Agency that July saw 1.41 million foreign visitors, an increase of over 30 percent year-over-year.
This figure represents 97 percent of the tourist levels recorded in July 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In terms of tourist origins, China led with 459,000 visitors, followed by Japan with 243,000, Taiwan with 143,000, and the United States with 121,000.
Tourist arrivals from Taiwan and the U.S. surged by 25.6 percent and 24.1 percent, respectively, compared to July 2019. Meanwhile, visitors from China and Japan have rebounded to 88 percent of the levels seen in the same month in 2019.
Earlier this week, the South Korean government launched a proposed budget of 677.4 trillion won ($509.71 billion) for the upcoming year, aiming to enhance welfare support for vulnerable populations and stimulate economic growth while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
The 2025 budget, approved by the Cabinet, reflects a 3.2 percent increase compared to the previous year. This follows a modest budget growth of 2.8 percent, the slowest in nearly two decades, as presented for 2024 by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
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