The time high in the first half of this year, exceeding 200,000. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, 204,000 people visited for such purposes — a 50.6 percent increase from the same period last year.

This growth is largely attributed to global interest in Korean culture, with visitors from China leading the way at 112,724 (55.2 percent). Other top countries include Vietnam, Japan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan.

Experts credit the surge to the worldwide popularity of Korean music, films and food, as well as the growing number of overseas nationals seeking to study or work in Korea. This trend aligns with government efforts to boost student numbers in regions outside the capital and address labor shortages in smaller companies.