Culture, Sports and Tourism Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun, fourth from left, and Sharmaine Lee, the 18.5 millionth tourist to Korea this year, fifth from left, pose during a ceremony marking Korea’s milestone of welcoming a record number of inbound visitors at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2, Tuesday. Yonhap
Korea is on track to welcome a record 18.7 million visitors by the end of 2025, surpassing the previous high of 17.5 million set in 2019, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday.
The surge comes as the country continues to recover from the pandemic-era dip in travel, with international tourists returning in large numbers and a growing interest in Korea’s cultural attractions and shopping districts driving the historic rebound.
This year’s strong inbound momentum came from robust growth across major markets. Visitors from China rebounded sharply, while arrivals from Taiwan grew 27 percent compared to last year. Japanese travelers surged to 3.61 million, the highest in 13 years. Middle East and Asian markets expanded by 11.8 percent, and visitors from Europe and Oceania increased by 14 percent.
The achievement marks a full rebound of the country’s tourism sector after years of pandemic-induced decline, driven by the global appeal of K-culture and diversified marketing efforts targeting key international markets. The record number translates to roughly one visitor arriving every 1.68 seconds.
To commemorate the milestone, the ministry held a ceremony at Incheon International Airport to welcome the 18.5 millionth foreign traveler, Singaporean Sharmaine Lee. Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun presented Lee with a traditional Korean scarf and a bouquet of flowers while extending a personal welcome.
Despite the historic achievement, officials said the country’s tourism industry still has room to grow, particularly in encouraging regional and repeat visits.
“Statistically, this is our best year ever, but we still have a long way to go,” Kim said. “The rate of repeat visitors and travel to regional remains relatively low. Our policies will focus on steering international travelers beyond major cities to help prevent regional decline.”
Seo Young-chung, acting head of the Korea Tourism Organization, echoed the sentiment. “Revitalizing local tourism is our unfinished task,” he said. “We will actively discover and promote regional content so that more global visitors can experience the unique charm and diversity across the country.”
Later in the afternoon, the ministry hosted the 52nd Tourism Day ceremony in Seoul under the theme of “K-Tourism, Embracing the World,” recognizing industry leaders who contributed to achieving the record-breaking performance.
“With Korea’s cultural presence continuing to grow worldwide, we aim to reach 30 million annual visitors before 2030 and solidify our status as a leading tourism nation,” Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said in a congratulatory video message.
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