South Korea ranks 2nd globally for international conferences; Seoul tops Asia

South Korea hosted 491 international conferences in 2025, placing second in the world — a four-spot climb from the previous year that underscores the growing competitiveness of the country's MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the ranking based on the Union of International Associations' 2025 International Meeting Statistics Report. The UIA recorded 9,281 international conferences held worldwide in 2025, of which South Korea hosted 491. That was up from 343 in 2024, lifting the country's global market share from 3.87 percent to 5.29 percent.

Among individual cities, Seoul ranked third in the world and first in Asia, trailing only Vienna, which topped the list with 345 conferences, and Brussels in second place with 329. Busan came in 22nd globally and Incheon 42nd. Conferences held outside the greater Seoul metropolitan area rose by 93 events, with their share of the national total increasing by 8.6 percentage points year on year. The number of cities hosting 10 or more international conferences also grew — from five in 2024 (Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Jeju and Daegu) to eight in 2025, with Daejeon, Gyeongju and Goyang joining the list, broadening the regional base of the MICE industry.

The results were driven by a rebound in demand for international meetings, active bidding efforts and the hosting of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, signaling that South Korea's conference industry has entered a sustained growth trajectory.

The international conference industry is a high-value sector with strong spillover effects on accommodation, food and retail. According to the 2025 MICE Participant Survey, conference attendees spent an average of 3.79 million won ($2,460) per person — double the 1.89 million won spent by ordinary foreign visitors. Conference participants stay longer and spend more than typical tourists, making them a key driver of local economic activity and national competitiveness.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is committing 25.8 billion won this year — matching last year's budget — to a range of promotional policies, including tailored support for bidding and hosting international conferences, efforts to boost corporate meetings and incentive tourism, development of a "Global K-Convention" brand, and support for international convention complex districts. The ministry credited these policy efforts as a key factor behind the results.

Building on gains made through cooperation with related agencies and the industry, the ministry said it plans to continue driving sustained growth in South Korea's MICE sector.

"These results are the product of the central government, local governments, regional convention and visitors bureaus, and the industry all working as one," said Kang Jeong-won, director general for tourism policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. "We will continue to strengthen the competitiveness of the international conference industry so that South Korea can solidify its standing as a global leader in this field."