South Korea breaks annual record for foreign tourist arrivals

South Korea received more foreign visitors by Oct 27 than in any previous full year, passing the 2025 record of 18.94 million.

The tourism ministry said a preliminary count showed 18.91 million arrivals through Oct 26, with the record passed the next day.

The government says Korean pop culture, tourism industry changes and public hospitality helped drive the increase.

More visitors are also travelling outside Seoul, and spending by foreign tourists rose 47.7% from a year earlier.

The government wants regional tourism to help support its goal of 30 million annual visitors, since more than 80% of foreign tourists currently concentrate in the capital region.

It plans to develop routes around five regional airports and provide about 410 billion won in cross-government funding next year, alongside improvements to accommodation, transport and payment services.

Officials expect arrivals to exceed 20 million in November if the current pace continues, while the government is also targeting 23 million for the full year and says it will address tourism’s quality and potential downsides.