The poster of ``Pretty Plane That I Design'' contest

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Children fold paper airplanes, color and play with them and some might even dream that a plane of their own design flies some day.

Korean Air will hold a sketch competition and decorate one of its aircraft with the winner's design, allowing for their dream to come true.

The airline will open the contest, ``Pretty Plane That I Design,'' April 5, among events commemorating the 40th anniversary of Korean Air's privatization.

Elementary schoolchildren will show their aircraft designs under the theme, ``Dream, Hope and Future.''

Those wishing to take part in the contest can download an application form at the carrier's Web site, www.koreanair.com, and email it to koreanair40@the-wise.co.kr or fax it to (02) 713-1550. The deadline to apply is March 13.

The carrier will select 200 teams among applicants, each consisting of one to three members. The contest will be held at Korean Air's headquarters in western Seoul, and the first prizewinner's design will be used on one of the carrier's planes, which will be operated from May 5, Children's Day.

The first prizewinner will also be able to take a trip to the United States for five days and pay a visit of inspection to aircraft maker Boeing's headquarters. The second prizewinner will go on a tour of Jeongseok Airport, which Korean Air established on Jeju Island, while the third prizewinner will get two domestic flight tickets.

``It generally costs a lot to design an aircraft with the image, but we have prepared the event as a way of expressing our gratitude to customers. Children also have a love of airplanes,'' a Korean Air official said.

Korean Air has decorated its aircrafts with various designs. In 2001, it painted one of its planes with images representatives of Jeju Island ― tangerines, Mt. Halla and ``harubang,'' or traditional stone sculptures ― to promote tourism to the scenic resort.

The carrier introduced a plane with the image of a soccer striker, named ``shootdori,'' in 2002, to commemorate the Korea-Japan World Cup. Sponsoring pop singer Rain, it had a flight decorated with his image, designed to promote the star's world tour concerts in 2007.

Last year, the airline presented a plane with the image of Mona Lisa formed from small ``hangeul'' letters in commemoration of the French museum Louvre's Korean language guide service, sponsored by the carrier.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr