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Air passenger traffic hits record high in 2025 on increased int'l travel

Published: 09 Jan. 2026, 12:50 Updated: 09 Jan. 2026, 14:35

This file photo taken Dec. 23, 2025, shows Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, crowded with air travelers ahead of Christmas. [YONHAP]

Korea's air passenger traffic reached a record high in 2025 on strong overseas travel demand, government data showed Friday.

The number of airline passengers at Korean airports totaled 124.8 million last year, up 3.9 percent from 120 million a year ago, according to the data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The figure marked the highest annual total, surpassing the previous peak of 123.4 million in 2019.

The increase was largely driven by a rise in the number of international passengers to and from Korea, which rose 6.3 percent on year to around 94.5 million, while domestic travelers fell 2.8 percent to 30.2 million over the cited period.

By destination, passengers to and from Japan rose 8.6 percent on-year to over 27.3 million, helped in part by the weak Japanese currency.

Travelers between Korea and China jumped 22 percent to 16.8 million, supported by visa-waiver programs implemented by both countries.

Air passenger traffic to and from other Asian countries edged down 0.5 percent on year to 34.8 million.

A total of 6.8 million people traveled between Korea and the United States last year, up 4.7 percent from a year earlier, while 4.9 million air travelers used European routes, up 5.5 percent on year.

Yonhap