The shortest commercial flight between Seoul and Tokyo, the capital cities of South Korea and Japan, will be expanded to 28 times a week from the current eight times as the two countries have reached an agreement after reopening late last month, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday.

The route between Gimpo and Haneda resumed operation on June 29 after 27 months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The route is being served by Korean Air Lines, Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways twice a week each.

With the agreement, each airliner will be able to offer a round-trip flight on the route every day from July 25. Exact schedules for the addition will be decided later, considering the demand.

The Gimpo-Haneda route first launched in 2003 represents the cultural exchange between the two countries. On the back of a strong demand for business trips, weekly flight services on the route by the four airliners reached 84 times in 2019 before the virus outbreak.

The transport ministry plans to continue talks with its Japanese counterpart for additional expansion of Gimpo-Haneda and other international flights between Korea and Japan.

By Pulse

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