Seoul: South Korea's annual air traffic volume exceeded 1 million flights for the first time last year, fueled by a notable increase in international travel demand, as announced by the transport ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the total number of domestic and international flights to and from South Korean airports reached 1,013,830 in 2025, marking a 6.8 percent increase from the previous year. This total includes both passenger and non-passenger flights.
An average of 2,778 flights operated daily in South Korean airspace last year, which is 20.4 percent higher compared to the previous record set in 2019, when the daily average was 2,307 flights. The ministry attributed this growth primarily to an expansion in international air traffic.
International flights amounted to 788,531 in the past year, a 9.4 percent increase from the year before. Notably, flights to Southeast Asia and southern China constituted approximately 52 percent of these international flights.
In terms of airport traffic, Incheon International Airport handled the largest volume with 435,360 flights, followed by Jeju International Airport and Gimpo International Airport, which managed 177,681 flights and 142,621 flights, respectively.
A ministry official remarked, "The stable growth in air traffic, amid a mid- to long-term expansion in international travel demand, will serve as a key foundation for boosting logistics, tourism, trade, and overall economic vitality."