JEJU-DO < invest Korea

According to Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea,

South Korea has resumed more international flights to China and Japan that had ceased due to the pandemic, raising hopes that an influx of tourists from the neighboring countries will help Korea get out of its chronic travel deficit.

According to Incheon International Airport Corp. and Korea Airports Corp. on Monday, Korean Air Lines Co., the country’s largest carrier, resumed its late-night flights between Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport and Haneda Airport in Tokyo, three years after they were suspended due to Covid-19.

Six Korean and Chinese airlines have also fully resumed flights between Gimpo airport, operated by Korea Airports, and Beijing and Shanghai in China. There are now 56 flights per week.

Flights to China and Japan from six international airports in Korea including those in Jeju and Gimhae in Busan have also been restored to 43 percent of the pre-pandemic levels.

Passenger services between Korea and China and Japan have been restored to nearly half of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Air carriers now offer regular flights to 20 destinations in China and eight in Japan.

Industry insiders note that the resumption in the flights may allow Korea to improve its travel deficit in its current account balance that has been in the red for 22 years. The deficit means that there are more Koreans traveling overseas than foreigners visiting Korea. The Korean government has introduced various policies to attract foreign travelers but the deficit remains.


By Lee Hee-jo and Lee Eun-joo

Copyrights Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea. All Rights Reserved.

Source: Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea (Mar. 28, 2023)