The number of foreign visitors to South Korea dropped nearly 11 percent in March from a year earlier amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Friday.

A total of 74,604 foreigners visited the country last month, down 10.7 percent from the same month a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO).

Chinese arrivals were the largest number at 18,980, followed by Americans with 12,321 and citizens from the Philippines with 9,268.

Visitors from China rose 14.4 percent on-year in March due to a base effect, while those from the Americas and Europe both shrank 16 percent due to travel restrictions in those areas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, 73,999 South Koreans made overseas trips in March, down 48.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the data. (Yonhap)