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South Korea has welcomed more than 20 million foreign tourists in a single year for the first time, a milestone reached Thursday, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, as reported by KBS World and Yonhap. The Korea Times notes the record comes 14 years after the country first began tracking the figure, driven by the global popularity of Korean culture. Earlier data showed 17.11 million visitors in the first nine months of 2026, up 21.5 percent from the same period in 2025, per the Korea Times, with cruise arrivals nearing 1.3 million in the first eight months, largely from China. Despite the boom, the Korea Times reports Korea's tourism balance has stayed in deficit for three consecutive months, even as arrivals were expected to surpass 20 million. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said the country is now aiming for 30 million visitors by shifting focus from Seoul to regional areas, adding, "An unprecedented future has already arrived."