On May 24, 2026, Korean media outlet Economist reported that "while the number of Korean tourists visiting Japan's regional cities is increasing, foreign tourists in Korea are concentrated in Seoul and the metropolitan area."

Korean low-cost carriers (LCCs) are rapidly expanding their routes to Japan's regional cities. As of 2025, Korean LCCs account for approximately 65.3% of flights connecting Korea and Japan.

In the travel industry, it is said that "Korean LCCs are the main players in the expansion of Japan's regional routes" and "Korean LCCs fostered travel to Japan's regional cities."

On the other hand, Korean routes operated by Japanese airlines are limited to 5, and the connecting cities were only Incheon, Gimpo, and Gimhae. Departure points are also concentrated in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, and the article points out that "this is in stark contrast to the situation where Korean airlines have actively developed Japan's regional cities."

An LCC industry official says, "Air routes are ultimately established only when there is demand." In Korea, demand for travel from regional cities to Japan is stable, and there are many tourists visiting Japan's regional cities. However, in Japan's case, passport ownership is relatively low, and there are abundant domestic travel options, so demand for visiting Korea's regional cities is said to be limited.

It is also pointed out that "Korean regional tourism has infrastructure problems even before content." "While public transportation connections are well-developed in the metropolitan area, movement routes in regional areas are complicated, and even Koreans find it inconvenient to travel there," it is said. Local governments are promoting regional festivals, traditional markets, marine tourism, gourmet travel, history, and historical sites, so it is not a lack of content. However, there are barriers of information and transportation for foreigners to experience these.

According to a summary by the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, the information foreign tourists felt most lacking when preparing for their trip was "transportation information" (16.1%). Furthermore, according to a survey by the Rural Development Administration, the average interval of public transportation in rural and fishing village areas reached 69.3 minutes. For independent foreign travelers, moving between tourist destinations itself is not easy. A 2020 survey by the Korea Academy of Business Administration also cited "transportation" as a major factor of dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, issues such as language support for foreigners, payment methods, and accommodation facilities are considered problematic due to their inadequacy in regional areas compared to the metropolitan area.

To this article, Korean internet users commented: "Whether you visit a big city, small city, or the countryside in Japan, you can feel the kindness, thoughtfulness, and cleanliness of the Japanese people, and I think you can make good memories. In Korea, if you go into the alleys of commercial districts, they are full of cigarette butts, and there's a 'me-first' mentality. This is the difference between a developed country and a pseudo-developed country." "First, we need to improve overcharging and unfriendliness." "If you go to regional areas, you get ripped off, it's unsanitary, and the towns haven't changed in 30 years. There's no way anyone would want to go there on purpose." "Even Koreans living in the metropolitan area avoid regional areas saying, 'Regional areas are not places for people to live,' so why would foreigners want to go there?" "If our own citizens don't want to go, foreigners won't go either." "Historically, regional lords in Japan held power, so each region has its own unique characteristics and independence. Korea has a centralized culture, so everything is concentrated in Seoul." (Translation/Editing by Mae)