South Korea to Increase Flights to Mongolia in Response to Growing Demand
South Korea and Mongolia Agree to Increase Flights Between Countries
In response to rising demand, South Korea’s transport ministry has reached an agreement with Mongolia to increase the number of flights connecting the two countries. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that South Korea will expand flight operations to include two additional airports in addition to the existing five locations.
This decision will allow the government to review requests from local airliners seeking to launch new flights from Jeju International Airport on the southern resort island of Jeju and Yangyang International Airport in Yangyang, located 150 kilometers northeast of Seoul. Furthermore, South Korea and Mongolia have decided to increase the number of flights departing from Gimhae International Airport near the southern port city of Busan from six per week to nine.
Additionally, both countries have agreed to remove the size limit for aircraft departing from regional airports, which previously restricted seating capacity to 200 passengers. For the peak season running from June to August, South Korea and Mongolia have agreed to double the seats to at least 10,800 per week, up from the previous 9,000.
Although discussions were held to fully lift flight numbers, an agreement was not reached as Mongolia expressed concerns about South Korean carriers dominating the market. According to government data, the number of passengers traveling between the two countries has seen a significant increase, from around 41,000 in 2021 to approximately 318,000 in 2022 and further to 653,000 last year.
This partnership between South Korea and Mongolia is expected to improve connectivity and enhance travel opportunities for passengers between the two countries. The increased number of flights will help meet the growing demand and strengthen the relationship between the two nations.
Source: YONHAP
