With this result, Vietnam ranked second after Japan in the number of RoK arrivals during the year.

Research by Yanolja Research indicates  that 29.55 million RoK citizens traveled overseas in 2025, exceeding the pre-pandemic figure of 28.714 million in 2019. The RoK outbound tourism market expanded strongly in the fourth quarter of 2025, rising 19.8% compared with the fourth quarter of 2019, showing that demand for overseas travel remained steady despite economic difficulties.

In 2025, the number of RoK visitors to Japan surged to a record 9.46 million. Vietnam ranked second with 4.331 million arrivals from the RoK, slightly lower than in 2024 but still higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic figure of 4.29 million.

Vietnam was also the top destination for RoK travelers in Southeast Asia in 2025, far ahead of Thailand (1.555 million), Philippines (1.346 million) and Singapore (587,000). China ranked third overall, welcoming 3.158 million RoK visitors during the year.

Several destinations favored by RoK travelers,  including the United States, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong, recorded marked declines in RoK arrivals in 2025 compared with 2024 and remained well below 2019 levels.

The study says the drop reflects increasingly cost-conscious travel behavior, with travelers opting for shorter distances to cut airfare costs. Outbound travel patterns among RoK citizens have become highly concentrated, focusing on a limited number of destinations, particularly those within short flight range.

The research also found that a sharp rise in outbound trips, combined with higher per capita spending, led to a surge in total overseas expenditure in 2025.

RoK travelers spent US$32.65 billion abroad during the year. Average spending per person rose from US$1,019 in 2019 to US$1,104.8 in 2025.

While travelers have tended to economize on transportation by choosing closer destinations, they remain willing to spend on high-quality dining and shopping experiences at their destinations.

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RoK extends visa fee waiver for group tourists from Vietnam

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