Taipei: Taiwan has emerged as the largest source of foreign visitors to Busan, South Korea, following a significant increase in direct flights.
According to Focus Taiwan, a total of 2,927,674 foreign tourists visited Busan from January to July, with 605,000 of them being Taiwanese. The data was highlighted by the Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency, which noted the impact of increased flight connectivity between the two regions.
Citing aviation statistics released by the Korea Airports Corp, Yonhap reported that 6,609 flights operated between Busan and Taiwan in the first seven months of 2026. This number matches the total flights for all of 2024 and accounts for 82.9 percent of the 7,976 flights recorded in 2025.
The statistics indicated that the surge in flights was primarily driven by Taiwanese carriers, including EVA Air and Starlux Airlines, which introduced new services. Most flights between Busan and Taiwan reportedly maintained load factors above 80 percent, showcasing the high demand for travel on these routes.
The Busan-Taoyuan route is currently operated by nine airlines: South Korea's Air Busan, Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, Jin Air, and Korean Air, along with Taiwan's China Airlines, EVA Air, Starlux Airlines, and Tigerair Taiwan. Additionally, flights between Busan and Kaohsiung are handled by Air Busan, Jeju Air, and South Korea's T'way Air, while Jin Air and Starlux Airlines serve the Busan-Taichung route.