South Korea has welcomed more than 20 million foreign visitors in a single year for the first time, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on 12 November 2026. The milestone comes 14 years after the country first passed 10 million annual visitors in 2012, when arrivals reached 11.14 million.

As of 11 November, the cumulative number of foreign tourists who had entered the country stood provisionally at 19.97 million. With an average of about 64,000 arrivals a day, the ministry estimated that the 20 million mark was crossed on 12 November. The figure is a preliminary estimate based on the daily average, rather than a final counted total. The previous annual record of 18.94 million visitors, set in 2025, had already been passed in October.

Arrivals in the first nine months of the year reached 17.11 million, up 21.5 per cent on the same period in 2025, according to ministry figures. September alone brought about 2.06 million visitors, a rise of 21.1 per cent year on year.

China leads the visitor growth

China was the largest source market in the January to September period, with 5.47 million visitors, up 29.2 per cent and accounting for about 32 per cent of arrivals. Japan followed with 3.12 million visitors, up 16.9 per cent, while Taiwan contributed 1.86 million, up 32.4 per cent, and Hong Kong 550,000, up 18.6 per cent.

Visitors from Southeast Asia also grew. In the first eight months of the year, the Philippines sent 454,000 visitors, up 16.1 per cent, Vietnam 407,000, up 10.5 per cent, Indonesia 295,000, up 22.5 per cent, and Singapore 243,000, up 11.9 per cent.

Spending rises sharply

Foreign tourism-related card spending reached 15.94 trillion won between January and September, up 47.7 per cent from 10.79 trillion won in the same period last year. Shopping accounted for 37 per cent of the recorded spending, followed by accommodation at 19.6 per cent and medical and wellness services at 16.6 per cent.

The ministry said the growth was driven by the global spread of Korean culture and the recovery of international travel demand after the pandemic downturn. Its 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey found that 55 per cent of respondents who had encountered Korean content abroad said Korean food was popular in their countries, ahead of music at 54 per cent, beauty at 53 per cent and dramas at 51 per cent. It also found that 65 per cent said Korean cultural content positively influenced their purchases of Korean products and services.

Regional gateways gain ground

More visitors are also arriving outside the capital. In the first nine months of the year, 3.24 million foreigners arrived through regional airports such as Gimhae, Jeju, Cheongju and Daegu, up 37.4 per cent and accounting for 19.0 per cent of total arrivals. A further 1.58 million entered through regional ports including Busan, Jeju, Seogwipo, Yeosu and Gunsan, up 14.5 per cent. Together, regional airports and ports handled 4.82 million arrivals, or 28.2 per cent of the total.

The government is working to improve entry and exit convenience and expand international flights at regional airports. A national tourism strategy meeting chaired by the president in February strengthened cooperation between agencies and set out measures to reduce inconvenience for tourists, including action on excessive pricing. South Korea has also extended its temporary K-ETA exemption for eligible nationalities until 31 December 2026.

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said: "Surpassing 20 million foreign tourists is a starting point for our leap as an 'irreplaceable tourism powerhouse.' We will thoroughly prepare for the goal of reaching 30 million foreign tourists and the capacity for 40 million." The ministry held a welcoming event for foreign tourists at Incheon International Airport on 12 November, attended by Second Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun, with further events at regional international airports planned through the end of the year. The government has set an ambition of 23 million visitors for 2026 and 30 million by 2029.