SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea witnessed a 57 percent increase in air passenger traffic in January, fueled by robust demand for flights to and from China.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Infrastructure and Transport revealed that the number of international travelers to and from South Korea reached 7.28 million in January, recovering to approximately 91 percent of the pre-pandemic levels observed in January 2019. The surge in traffic is notably attributed to an eightfold increase in travelers on routes connecting to China, with around 873,000 passengers recorded, compared to 104,000 a year earlier. This marks the first time monthly figures have exceeded 870,000 since China resumed group tours to South Korea last August. Amid this resurgence, Korean Air Co. announced plans to resume flights to Zhangjiajie in April. Additionally, the number of passengers traveling to Japan saw a 53 percent year-on-year increase, reaching 2.03 million in January, likely benefiting from the weaker Japanese yen.