Key facts
- Annual foreign arrivals to South Korea passed 20 million for the first time, the culture ministry said.
- It took 14 years for arrivals to double from the 10 million reached in 2012.
- Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young said the government will build capacity to attract 30 million visitors a year.
The annual number of foreign visitors to South Korea surpassed 20 million for the first time, the culture ministry said on November 12, 2026. Kim Dae-hyun, the second vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, went to Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to Seoul, to welcome the 20 millionth visitor.
The country took 14 years to reach the level after annual arrivals passed 10 million in 2012. The government attributed the record to factors including the global popularity of South Korean pop culture and the country's hospitality toward foreign tourists.
Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young said the milestone marked a "starting point" for South Korea's push to become an "irreplaceable tourism powerhouse." Chae said the government will build the capacity to attract 30 million foreign visitors a year and bring in an era of 40 million visitors.