Korea is stepping up efforts to turn regional airports into international tourism gateways, seeking to draw more overseas visitors beyond the Seoul metropolitan area as arrivals through Cheongju and Daegu continue to climb. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Monday they are accelerating the Regional Airport International Tourism Hub initiative, aimed at strengthening regional tourism and easing the concentration of inbound travel through Incheon International Airport. KTO launched a dedicated task force in April, bringing together 29 departments and regional offices as well as consultative bodies for Cheongju and Daegu airports. The task force is focused on expanding international air routes, developing regional tourism products and improving infrastructure around regional airports. Through May, more than 50,000 foreign visitors entered Korea through Cheongju International Airport, an increase of more than 114 percent from the same period last year, the organization said. Daegu International Airport welcomed more than 46,000 overseas