Korea eyes 30 mil. tourists with regional push

Korea is aiming to attract 30 million foreign tourists by shifting its focus away from Seoul to regional areas, Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young announced on Wednesday during a press conference in the capital. The country is poised to welcome 30 million, with the potential to reach 40 million overseas visitors in the future, Chae stated.

The minister emphasized that the government is not only targeting a high quantity of visitors, but also aims for qualitative growth while tackling issues of overtourism. Korea's tourism industry is currently experiencing record-breaking growth, with cumulative foreign tourist arrivals surpassing the projected annual total of 18.94 million as of Tuesday.

Despite facing global challenges such as high oil prices, inflation, and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the ministry attributed the steady growth to the popularity of K-culture, industry innovation, and local hospitality. To maintain this upward trajectory, the government has increased its 2027 budget for the tourism sector to 1.756 trillion won ($1.31 billion), a 19 percent rise from the previous year's allocation.