Seoul foreign visitors hit record 11.56m in Jan-Aug; card spending up 59.9%
Version 3: New coverage adds August monthly figures: card spending of 1.0327 trillion won, up 58.1%, five consecutive months above 1 trillion won, and month-on-month visitor gains by nationality including Hong Kong and Indonesia, along with additional outlets reporting the same city data.
In short
Seoul received a record 11.56 million foreign visitors in January-August, up 21.6% from 9.51 million a year earlier, with 1.72 million in August alone, according to city data reported by Yonhap, Dong-A Ilbo and Asia Economy. Card spending by those visitors rose 59.9% to 7.7813 trillion won over the same eight months, close to the 7.9375 trillion won spent in all of 2025. The documents say spending is widening into traditional markets and alley commercial districts.
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Foreign visitors to Seoul totaled 11.56 million in January-August, a record for the period and up 21.6% from 9.51 million a year earlier, according to Seoul city data reported by Yonhap, Dong-A Ilbo and Asia Economy. Card spending by those visitors reached 7.7813 trillion won, up 59.9% from 4.8662 trillion won in the same period a year earlier, approaching the 7.9375 trillion won spent in all of 2025. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
In August alone, 1.72 million foreign visitors came to Seoul, up 23.3% from 1.40 million a year earlier. Asia Economy reported that August card spending was 1.0327 trillion won, up 58.1% from 653.3 billion won a year earlier, and that monthly card spending has exceeded 1 trillion won for five consecutive months since April, when it passed that mark for the first time. [ 2 , 4 ]
Visitors from China, Japan and Taiwan accounted for 66.4% of August arrivals: China 636,000 (36.9%), Japan 322,000 (18.6%) and Taiwan 188,000 (10.9%). Asia Economy reported that compared with July, Chinese visitors rose 36.9%, Taiwanese 28.0%, Hong Kong 21.5% and Indonesian 44.3%. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
On 2025 figures, shopping took the largest share of card spending at 46.6%, followed by medical and wellness at 23.8%, food and beverage at 13.2% and lodging at 10.4%. Yonhap reported that large shopping malls saw spending rise 77.5% year on year, medical tourism 64.2% and general dining 59.5%; Asia Economy reported that in August alone mall spending rose 88.3% and general dining 80.3%. Spending widened beyond the main tourist districts, with Seongsu up 103.7% and Myeongdong 74.7%, the area near Dosan Park up 240.1%, the area near Kyungsoo Elementary School in Seongsu up 206.6% and Gwangjang Market up 127.4%. [ 2 , 4 ]
Jo Sung-ho, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's tourism and sports bureau, said August set a record for foreign visitors and that tourist spending is rising quickly, adding to the economic effect of Seoul tourism. He said the city would strengthen night-time content centered on a Seoul-style night economy and its links with local commercial districts so that visitors stay longer and spending spreads across the city, according to Yonhap. The city said the tourism and consumption trend data can be viewed on the Seoul Data Hub website. [ 2 , 4 ]
Outlets framed the figures differently. Korea Economic Daily headlined that spending grew at 2.8 times the rate of visitor growth, and Chosun Ilbo said eight months of spending this year came close to a full year of 2025. Dong-A Ilbo said consumption is spreading from Myeongdong and Seongsu to traditional markets and alley commercial districts. Newsis headlined the January-August card total as 7.8 trillion won, up 60%, rounded figures that differ slightly from the 7.7813 trillion won and 59.9% reported elsewhere. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Why it matters
The documents show foreign tourist spending rising faster than arrivals and spreading beyond Myeongdong and Seongsu into traditional markets and smaller commercial areas, which points to wider local retail effects. The head of Seoul's tourism and sports bureau said the city will strengthen night-time content and links with local commercial districts so visitors stay longer and spending spreads across the city.
Key facts
- Seoul received 11.56 million foreign visitors in January-August, a record for the period and up 21.6% from 9.51 million a year earlier, according to Seoul city data. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- In August alone, 1.72 million foreign visitors came to Seoul, up 23.3% from 1.40 million in August last year. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Foreign tourists' card spending in Seoul reached 7.7813 trillion won in January-August, up 59.9% from 4.8662 trillion won a year earlier. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Full-year card spending in 2025 was 7.9375 trillion won, a level nearly matched in the first eight months of this year. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Visitors from China, Japan and Taiwan made up 66.4% of August visitors: China 636,000 (36.9%), Japan 322,000 (18.6%) and Taiwan 188,000 (10.9%). [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Asia Economy reported that August card spending was 1.0327 trillion won, up 58.1% from 653.3 billion won a year earlier, and that monthly card spending has topped 1 trillion won for five straight months since April. [ 4 ]
- On 2025 figures, shopping took 46.6% of card spending, followed by medical and wellness at 23.8%, food and beverage at 13.2% and lodging at 10.4%. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Card spending rose 103.7% in Seongsu, 74.7% in Myeongdong, 240.1% near Dosan Park, 206.6% near Kyungsoo Elementary School in Seongsu and 127.4% at Gwangjang Market compared with a year earlier. [ 2 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Seoul received 11.56 million foreign visitors in January-August, up 21.6% from 9.51 million a year earlier, according to Seoul city data. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Card spending by foreign tourists in Seoul reached 7.7813 trillion won in January-August, up 59.9% from 4.8662 trillion won a year earlier. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- In August, 1.72 million foreign visitors came to Seoul, up 23.3% from 1.40 million in August last year. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- China, Japan and Taiwan accounted for 66.4% of August visitors, with China at 636,000, Japan at 322,000 and Taiwan at 188,000. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Card spending in 2025 totaled 7.9375 trillion won for the full year, a level the first eight months of this year came close to matching. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The figures come from Seoul city data on tourism and consumption trends in the capital. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether foreign tourist spending in Seoul will exceed the 2025 full-year total by the end of 2026. The documents report the January-August total as close to the 2025 figure but give no full-year projection.
- Which nationalities drove visitor growth across the whole January-August period, rather than in August alone. The documents give a nationality breakdown only for August.
- How the sector shares of card spending compare between 2025 and 2026. The sector breakdown is given on 2025 figures only, while the 2026 period is described through shopping mall, medical tourism and dining growth rates.
- The exact card spending total as rounded by Newsis and Korea Economic Daily versus the precise figure. Newsis's headline states 7.8 trillion won and a 60% rise while Yonhap, Dong-A Ilbo and Asia Economy give 7.7813 trillion won and 59.9%; the documents do not explain the difference.
- Details behind Newsis's coverage. Newsis's published text is about a National Assembly audit of the Supreme Court, unrelated to this event; only its headline carries the Seoul tourism spending figure.
- Details behind Korea Economic Daily's coverage. Korea Economic Daily's headline says spending grew at 2.8 times the rate of visitor growth, but its published text lists unrelated travel and delivery items.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Newsis headlines January-August card spending by foreign tourists in Seoul at 7.8 trillion won, up 60% year on year; its published article text covers an unrelated Supreme Court audit. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap, citing Seoul city, reports a record 11.56 million foreign visitors in January-August, up 21.6%, and card spending up 59.9% to 7.7813 trillion won. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the same city data, highlighting that spending rose faster than arrivals and spread to traditional markets and alley commercial districts. [ 3 ]
- Asia Economy adds that August card spending was 1.0327 trillion won, up 58.1%, and that monthly spending has exceeded 1 trillion won for five consecutive months since April. [ 4 ]
- Korea Economic Daily headlines that Seoul foreign tourist spending grew at 2.8 times the rate of visitor growth. [ 5 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports in Korean and Japanese that eight months of spending this year came close to matching a full year of 2025. [ 7 , 8 ]