Korea welcomes 18.5 million tourists in 2025 as inbound visitors surpass pre-Covid numbers

It's Korea's moment with the country welcoming 18.5 million tourists as of Tuesday, the highest ever and on track to record 18. 7 million by the end of the year to top pre-Covid-19 levels.

Tourists walk down the streets of Myeongdong, central Seoul, on Dec. 21, 2025. [NEWS1]

It's Korea's moment with the country welcoming its 18.5 millionth tourist of the year on Tuesday, the highest total ever and on track to record 18.7 million by the end of the year to top pre-Covid-19 levels.

Korea recorded 18.5 million inbound tourists on Tuesday, 1 million more than the previous record set in 2019 before the pandemic. With more to visit by Dec. 31, Korea is on track to set a record of 18.7 million tourists for 2025, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Dae-hyun, left, and Sharmaine Lee, center, the 18.5 millionth tourist to Korea who is from Singapore, center, pose for a photo at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport on Tuesday to celebrate a record high in annual inbound tourism to Korea. [KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION]

The government credited the popularity of K-culture and the tourism sector's active use of pop culture for attracting tourists. Various marketing strategies were used to cater to tourists from different cultures, such as emphasizing leisure through food and sports in Busan and Daegu for Taiwanese tourists; targeting women in their 20s and 30s to attract returning visitors from Japan; tailoring programs for group tourists from China, especially women ranging from their 20s to 40s; and collaborating with online agencies on promoting K-culture for tourists from the Middle Eastern Asian regions.

To commend the feat, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok will award 23 people from the tourism industry who contributed to the betterment of the domestic tourism market during an event titled "K-Tourism, Embracing the World." The Culture Minister's merit will be awarded to 80 people and five companies that have made especially significant contributions to attracting foreign currency to Korea.

The Culture Ministry will also hold an event on Tuesday at the Incheon International Airport to welcome Korea's 18.5-millionth visitor — Sharmaine Lee from Singapore — with a congratulatory message from the second vice minister of culture, Kim Dae-hyun.

Tourists enjoy their time on an ice skating rink set up in front of the Seoul City Hall building in central Seoul on Dec. 20, 2025. [NEWS1]

"We thank and congratulate the people in the tourism market who have stuck by to make the market a better place," said Prime Minister Kim.

"In this age when K-culture shakes the world, we must continue this growth trajectory while also adding a layer of depth to tourism. The government will strive to make an advanced tourist country where the fruits of K-culture bloom and we achieve our goal of 30 million annual visitors a year, earlier than our goal of 2030."

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]