Seoul: Over 46 million people traveled to or from South Korea via air in the first half of 2025, setting a record high, data showed Sunday. A total of 46,029,842 passengers arrived in or left South Korea via international flights between January and June, marking a 7.6 percent increase from the same period last year. This data was compiled by the land ministry, Incheon International Airport Corp., and Korea Airports Corp.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the figure surpassed the previous record of 45.5 million posted in the first half of 2019. The number of international flights during the six-month period also increased 5.6 percent on-year, outpacing the previous first-half record set in 2019.
China recorded the largest number of air passengers traveling to and from South Korea, with 7.81 million passengers in the first six months of the year, a significant 24.3 percent increase from the previous year. This sharp rise was partly attributed to China's visa-exemption program for South Korean visitors, implemented in November.
Japan was the next largest contributor, with the number of travelers to and from South Korea increasing by 9.9 percent on-year. The continuous wave of South Korean travelers to Japan is driven by a weak yen and the recent expansion of flight routes to smaller Japanese cities.
By airport, approximately 36 million people traveled through Incheon International Airport, South Korea's primary international gateway. Meanwhile, 9.91 million people used six other international airports across the country.
An industry official commented, "The demand for international flights reached a record high in the first half due to the normalization of overseas travel centered on China and Japan, as well as supply expansions." The official further noted that the growth in demand is expected to persist in the second half of the year due to stabilizing exchange rates and global oil prices.