Seoul:South Korea is set to increase its international passenger flights for the upcoming winter season, with a significant boost in services to both Japan and China. This decision comes in response to strong travel demand, as announced by the transport ministry on Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has scheduled a total of 5,353 weekly international flights across 264 routes that connect 44 countries during the winter season, which spans from October 25 to March 27, 2027.
The flights will be operated by 84 airlines, which include 11 South Korean carriers and 73 foreign airlines. This new schedule represents a 7.6 percent increase from last year's winter season, which had 4,973 flights, and it surpasses the pre-pandemic level of 4,980 flights in the winter of 2019.
The expansion is largely driven by an increase in services to Japan and China, with weekly flights rising by 314 and 232, respectively, in response to the robust demand for both inbound and outbound travel.