There were 1,753 complaints as against 1,744 in 2025, according to data from the Korea Tourism Organization.
The surge in complaints comes amid an unprecedented boom in tourist numbers, with 10.71 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2026, up 21.3% year-on-year.
The complaints were mainly in major cities and tourist destinations.
The capital, Seoul, saw the highest number, 665, followed by the southern port city of Busan with 594, Incheon with 176, and Jeju Island with 155, The Korea Times reported.
In Busan, the number more than doubled from the 239 reported in full-year 2025. It coincided with an influx of 110,000 visitors to the city for K-pop group BTS’s concert in June, which industry watchers cited as a possible factor.
|
Tourists on a street in Seoul, South Korea. Photo by AFP |
The figures were compiled from complaints submitted through the Tourist Complaint Center website and the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline, which provides multilingual assistance to travelers.
Foreign visitors accounted for 84.3% of the complaints, according to The Straits Times.
Travelers from mainland China accounted for the largest number of complaints, 680, followed by Japanese (263), Taiwanese (182), and Hong Kongers (87).
Accommodation was the most common issue, with 500 cases of unnotified booking cancellations and high cancellation fees.
Retail complaints followed with 376 involving price gouging and unfriendly staff.
Airport services accounted for 186 reports, and taxi- problems for 182. Complaints specifically to hotels numbered 146, focusing on unexpected cancellations, poor service, and cleanliness issues.
As tourism continues to recover, experts are calling for efforts from both the government and the private sector to improve tourist satisfaction to sustain the recovery.
