Non-residents’ credit and debit card spending in South Korea rose 36.1% from the first quarter to a record $4.86 billion in the second quarter of 2026, according to Bank of Korea data released Sept. 2. The figure exceeded the previous record of $3.79 billion set in the second quarter of 2025 by 28.2%. The number of cards used by non-residents rose 34.3% to 25.02 million, while about 5.95 million foreign tourists visited South Korea in the quarter, a quarterly record. The Bank of Korea linked the increase to stronger inbound travel, including demand generated by K-pop, films and other Korean cultural exports, as well as holiday travel from Japan and China. In contrast, South Korean residents’ overseas card spending fell 4.2% to $5.85 billion as outbound travel declined 20.4% to 6.63 million departures amid a weaker won. Overseas direct purchases still rose 4.3% to $1.41 billion.