South Korea Expects Record 1.8 Million Cruise Passengers in 2026

South Korea is projecting record cruise traffic in 2026, with more than 1.8 million passengers expected on 952 ship calls as the government simplifies port-clearance procedures and adds terminal capacity. The forecast is already above 2025’s slightly more than 1 million passengers and 588 calls.

“That number was based on our previous estimates, but we are getting even more cruise call requests,” said Lee Jong-Geun, deputy director of the Marine Leisure Tourism Division at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. “I think the final figure will be even larger than that.”

The 2026 projection is a sharp move above South Korea’s 2019 cruise baseline of 260,000 passengers and 154 calls. Lee cited two forces behind the gains: the international pull of K-pop and Korean culture, and diplomatic friction between China and Japan that has led major cruise operators to reroute ships to Korean destinations.

Policy changes target clearance delays

“We were getting feedback from different cruise lines that the immigration clearance was difficult to complete,” Lee said.

South Korea now permits immigration clearance to be completed onboard ships, and itineraries with consecutive Korean calls no longer need secondary permissions for each domestic stop. The change applies to itineraries making more than one Korean stop; Lee said most ships still use a single-call pattern centered on Busan, Jeju or Incheon.

Busan and Jeju handle the heaviest volumes

Jeju and Busan are the country’s largest cruise ports, with 322 and 208 calls in 2025, respectively. Jeju’s main cruise infrastructure spans Jeju Port, which handles ships up to about 140,000 GT, and Seogwipo Gangjeong Port, where two berths can take vessels up to about 220,000 GT each.

Busan’s near-term capacity work is due to finish by the end of 2026. Lee said a major expansion of the cruise terminal is underway; the port’s International Passenger Terminal already has annual passenger capacity of about 2.8 million, while Busan Port Authority figures list a cruise berth capable of handling one ship up to 100,000 tons.

The ministry is also testing longer cruise terminal hours so ships can schedule overnight calls. A new three-story cruise terminal in Busan is planned for 2030.

Masan and Saemangeum expand the map

South Korea added Masan and Saemangeum as cruise call destinations in 2025, taking the country to nine cruise destinations, Lee said. The additions are part of an effort to move traffic beyond the established ports and give cruise lines more Korean itinerary options.

Masan, in Changwon, adds another destination outside the Busan-Jeju-Incheon circuit. At Saemangeum New Port, planning for a temporary cruise terminal includes customs, immigration and quarantine functions, while the port’s infrastructure plan calls for dedicated cruise docks and terminal facilities, with cruise berth targets of two in 2026 and six by 2030.

Source-market diversification is a second priority. Lee said 50 to 60 percent of cruise passengers arriving in South Korea come from China, leaving the industry exposed to regional political shifts. He also said single-stop itineraries reduce the gains for local communities: “Cruise tourism itself should be contributing more to the local economy.”

“That’s why we are trying to offer more options and ports,” Lee said, adding that the ministry is also seeking more expedition and luxury ships at newer locations.

Regional deployments are starting to feed Korean calls

Dickson Chin, managing director of Wallem Ship Agency, said Wallem’s Asia cruise port-call business reached record levels in the first three quarters of 2025 before slowing late in the year.

Chin said Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong led regional growth in 2025, while Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines met or exceeded expectations. He said China had lagged but could rebound: “I think it will return to its previous growth path, not only as a major source market but also as a crucial component of the Asia cruise map.”

Chin also cited Disney Cruise Line’s scheduled regional operations for Disney Adventure and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Luminara in Asia, and said berth demand in Singapore and Hong Kong is already exceeding capacity at times. Wallem is involved in cruise terminal development at Saemangeum and is working with Japanese port authorities on new itinerary opportunities.

China-based deployment already includes Korean port calls. On May 12, Tianjin Oriental International Cruise Company’s 105,000-ton Vision departed Dalian with about 3,300 passengers on a four-night itinerary to Incheon and Jeju. Vision is the first vessel over 100,000 tons to homeport at Dalian, which is scheduled for 10 turnaround calls this season by Vision and Adora Mediterranea, plus two port-of-call visits by other cruise ships.

Lee said the ministry’s five-year vision is for South Korea to become an Asian cruise hub, with cruise lines using Korean ports for turnaround operations.