TE24 International Desk:
SEOUL – Flights between the South Korean and Japanese capitals resumed on Wednesday after being suspended for more than two years due to the Kovid epidemic.
Four carriers from the two countries – South Korea’s Korean Air and Asiana Airlines and Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways – have started operating eight round trips in seven days through the course between Seoul’s Gimpo Air Terminal and Tokyo’s Haneda Air Terminal.
“I believe (resumption of flights) will be an incentive to defeat Kovid and revive South Korea-Japan trade,” said Kim Yoon Jiang, an official with Asiana Airlines.
Kim Du Hwan, head of the Korea Airport Corporation’s Seoul regional headquarters, said the association’s idea was to resume trips between Kansai and Seoul soon.
Seoul and Tokyo agreed last week to continue the course between the Gimpo and Haneda air terminals, both close to their designated suburbs, with the trust saying it would help support trade between the two countries.
South Korean President Eun Sook-eol, a supporter of working on reciprocal relations after a brief tussle over wartime issues, expressed interest in continuing flights.
South Korea’s justice ministry said Wednesday it would work on the most common way to issue visas to travelers from Japan and several other countries starting Friday to create a number of foreign visitors.