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South Korea welcomed 17.11 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of 2026, a 21.5 percent rise from the same period in 2025, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Yonhap reports the figure is on track to exceed last year's full-year total by October, with September arrivals alone reaching 2.06 million, up 21.1 percent year-on-year. Korean outlets frame this as a strong rebound, with KBS World noting the data confirms the country is virtually certain to surpass 2025's annual figure.