Korea welcomes record 20 mil. foreign visitors as K-culture fuels tourism boom
Summary
Korea welcomed more than 20 million foreign tourists in a single year for the first time on Thursday, as global interest in Korean culture fueled travel demand. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said arrivals are expected to set further records through year-end. Spending and arrivals through regional gateways also rose, extending tourism’s economic benefits beyond the capital. The ministry plans events and industry meetings to mark the milestone and prepare for further growth.
Key Facts
- Foreign tourists spent 15.9 trillion won on tourism-related activities through September, up 47.7 percent from the same period last year.
- Arrivals through airports outside the Seoul metropolitan area reached 3.24 million, up 37.4 percent, while regional seaport arrivals totaled 1.58 million, up 14.5 percent.
- A 2026 survey of 27,000 people in 30 countries found that 55 percent were interested in Korean food and 53 percent in Korean beauty content.
- The government has improved immigration procedures, expanded international flight services at regional airports and strengthened penalties for businesses charging excessive prices.
- Minister Chae Hwi-young said the government would prepare tourism infrastructure for an era of 30 million visitors and eventually 40 million.
Foreign tourists walk with umbrellas in Myeong-dong in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
Korea has crossed a milestone that once seemed distant, welcoming more than 20 million foreign tourists in a single year for the first time as the global popularity of Korean culture fuels demand for travel to the country.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that international arrivals surpassed the 20 million mark on Thursday, just 14 years after Korea first recorded 10 million annual visitors in 2012.
The achievement marks a new high for the country's tourism industry, with arrivals expected to continue setting records through the end of the year.
The surge has also translated into higher spending and more visitors entering through regional gateways, extending tourism's economic benefits beyond the capital.
Foreign tourists spent 15.9 trillion won on tourism-related activities through September, up 47.7 percent from the same period last year, according to the ministry.
Arrivals through airports outside the Seoul metropolitan area reached 3.24 million, up 37.4 percent, while arrivals through regional seaports totaled 1.58 million, an increase of 14.5 percent.
The ministry attributed the growth to the international expansion of Korean pop culture, coordination among government agencies and the hospitality shown by ordinary citizens.
A 2026 survey of 27,000 people in 30 countries found that Korean food and beauty products were popular among respondents, with 55 percent expressing interest in Korean food and 53 percent in Korean beauty content.
The government has also introduced measures to make travel easier, including improvements to immigration procedures, expanded international flight services at regional airports and stronger penalties for businesses charging excessive prices.
Chae Hwi-young, minister of culture, sports and tourism, said the milestone should serve as a starting point for greater ambitions.
"Surpassing 20 million foreign tourists is the starting point for Korea's leap toward becoming an irreplaceable tourism powerhouse," Chae said.
"From today through December, we will actively share this unprecedented achievement with the public to build national pride, while thoroughly preparing our tourism infrastructure for the era of 30 million visitors and eventually 40 million."
The ministry plans commemorative events, airport welcome ceremonies, promotional campaigns and industry meetings to mark the achievement and prepare for further growth.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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