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South Korea has surpassed 20 million foreign tourist arrivals in a single year for the first time, reaching the milestone on Thursday, 14 years after the country first set the goal, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports. KBS World reports the figure marks a historic first, while Yonhap confirms the annual number of foreign visitors has exceeded 20 million. The Korea Times attributes the boom to the global popularity of Korean culture fueling travel demand. Earlier data showed 17.11 million visitors in the first nine months, a 21.5 percent increase from the same period in 2025, putting the country on track to pass last year's full-year total. Despite the record arrivals, the Korea Times reported on Nov. 9 that Korea's tourism balance remained in deficit for three consecutive months. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young has said the country is now working toward an era of 30 million visitors by shifting focus from Seoul to regional areas, noting "An unprecedented future has already arrived."