Travelers outside Seoul gain direct access to more overseas routes
Jeju International Airport, as seen from the control tower / Courtesy of Jeju Regional Aviation Administration
Travelers living in Korea’s southern provinces have long endured a frustrating routine before most of their trips abroad: boarding a high-speed train or driving hours north just to catch a flight at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.
That geographic imbalance is now shifting.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Wednesday announced the allocation of traffic rights for 25 international routes across 10 domestic carriers. The policy shift breaks up long-held megacarrier dominance and injects fresh competition into regional hubs across the peninsula.
Under the new distribution, low-cost carriers and emerging airlines will spearhead an expansion into China and Central Europe. Regional airports in cities like Busan, Cheongju and Daegu will gain direct flights to major Chinese metropolitan areas including Chengdu, Harbin, Dalian and Xiamen. Yangyang International Airport, situated along the eastern coast, is set to revive its international operations after a four-year hiatus, securing direct links to Shanghai and Hangzhou.
The move marks a strategic effort to dismantle traditional routes dominated by full-service carriers like Korean Air. By awarding vital rights on high-density routes — such as Incheon to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou — to budget competitors like Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, and Jin Air, transport officials aim to lower airfares and expand consumer choice.
Beyond East Asia, the ministry also distributed newly secured passenger and cargo rights to the Czech Republic, expanding direct access to Central Europe and bolstering supply chains through dedicated freight routes to Chinese manufacturing hubs like Ezhou and Tianjin.
The expansion comes at a critical time for Korea’s aviation sector, which is navigating rising operational costs driven by global fuel price volatility. By decentralizing international traffic, transport ministry officials said they hope to stimulate regional economies, drawing foreign tourists directly into Korea’s coastal and southern provinces rather than funneling them exclusively through Seoul.
"While rising oil prices have undoubtedly increased the burden on airlines, our focus remains on expanding the skies for the public," said Jeong Chae-gyo, head of the ministry's Aviation Policy Bureau. "We will actively support these carriers to ensure smooth route launches and continuously supply flights where consumer demand is highest."
With airlines scheduled to launch these newly assigned routes by the end of the year, regional flight capacity across the country could potentially reach its highest level in several years.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.