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South Korea welcomed 17.11 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of 2026, up 21.5 percent from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Yonhap reports arrivals are on track to exceed last year's full-year total by October, with September alone seeing 2.06 million visitors, a 21.1 percent increase year-on-year. Korean media, including KBS World and Business Korea, highlight that the figure already surpasses 17 million and is close to the 2025 annual record, making it virtually certain the country will set a new yearly high.