South Korea is expected to welcome a record number of visitors from overseas this year.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday that arrivals from abroad are projected to reach 18‑point‑seven million, surpassing the previous high of 17‑point‑five million set in 2019 by about one million.

The figure translates to one overseas visitor entering the country, on average, every one‑point‑68 seconds.

China accounted for the largest share of arrivals, with ministry officials attributing the increase to travel promotions aimed at Chinese women in their 20s and 30s, a key consumer demographic.

Arrivals from Taiwan rose 27 percent from a year earlier, driven by promotions highlighting K‑food and K‑baseball, marking the highest number of Taiwanese visitors on record.

Visitors from Japan are also expected to reach a 13‑year high of three‑point‑61 million, fueled by growing interest in K‑beauty among Japanese women in their 20s and 30s.

The ministry said the overall rise reflects its strategy of leveraging the global popularity of K‑culture to attract more travelers from overseas.