The number of foreign tourists in Seoul rose slightly in the first five months of this year from the same period last year despite tensions with North Korea and other negative factors, city officials said Wednesday.

   A total of 3.19 million foreigners visited Seoul in the January-May period, up 3 percent from last year, officials said. The rise is meaningful as it came despite tensions over North Korea's shelling in November of the South's border island of Yeonpyeong, a massive outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and a devastating earthquake in Japan.

   If the trend holds, about 8.35 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Seoul this year, officials said. During the five-month period, foreign tourists spent US$1,403 per person in Seoul, up $117 from last year, officials said.

Source: Yonhap News (June 15, 2011)