Korea has crossed a milestone that once seemed distant, welcoming more than 20 million foreign tourists in a single year for the first time as the global popularity of Korean culture fuels demand for travel to the country. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that international arrivals surpassed the 20 million mark on Thursday, just 14 years after Korea first recorded 10 million annual visitors in 2012. The achievement marks a new high for the country's tourism industry, with arrivals expected to continue setting records through the end of the year. The surge has also translated into higher spending and more visitors entering through regional gateways, extending tourism's economic benefits beyond the capital. Foreign tourists spent 15.9 trillion won on tourism-related activities through September, up 47.7 percent from the same period last year, according to the ministry. Arrivals through airports outside the Seoul metropolitan area reached 3.24 million, up 37.4 percent, while arrivals through regional seaports totaled 1.58 million, an increase of 14.5 percent. The ministr