Home

The Korea Herald

Latest news

Most Popular

  1. 1

    Actor Song Jae-rim dies at 39

    Actor Song Jae-rim dies at 39
  2. 2

    'Are you a T?' is a new put-down in S. Korea

    'Are you a T?' is a new put-down in S. Korea
  3. 3

    Bitcoin hits record in Korea, even without ‘kimchi premium’

    Bitcoin hits record in Korea, even without ‘kimchi premium’
  4. 4

    Trump sours K-food outlook in US

    Trump sours K-food outlook in US
  5. 5

    Suneung for all: Opportunity, redemption and the right to dream

    Suneung for all: Opportunity, redemption and the right to dream
  1. 6

    Korean study finds 'obese' BMI may actually be healthiest

    Korean study finds 'obese' BMI may actually be healthiest
  2. 7

    [Herald Interview] 'Korea, don't repeat Hong Kong's mistakes on foreign caregivers'

    [Herald Interview] 'Korea, don't repeat Hong Kong's mistakes on foreign caregivers'
  3. 8

    Samsung stocks fall to 4-year low

    Samsung stocks fall to 4-year low
  4. 9

    Korean model admits drug use, seeks help from embassy in Manila: report

    Korean model admits drug use, seeks help from embassy in Manila: report
  5. 10

    [KH Explains] Why Yoon golfing is so controversial

    [KH Explains] Why Yoon golfing is so controversial
피터빈트

Korea outlines measures to help airlines with drop in China traffic

By KH디지털2

Published : April 19, 2017 - 11:03

    • Link copied

South Korea's government on Wednesday outlined measures to help local airlines better cope with the drop in traffic on their China routes amid a diplomatic row over the deployment of an advanced US anti-missile system here.

The number of travelers on domestic and international routes rose 8.9 percent to 8.51 million in March from a year earlier on a strong won and more services offered by low-cost carriers. The latest data, however, showed the number of people traveling to and from China plunging 23 percent to 1.13 million during the same period, the transport ministry said in a statement. 

(Yonhap) (Yonhap)

The decline was sparked by China's ban on tour group packages to South Korea from March 15 onward seemingly in retaliation for Seoul's push to station of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing has argued that the powerful X-band radar that is part of the THAAD battery could be used against it even though Seoul and Washington have made clear that the system is purely defensive in nature and aims to counter the growing threat from North Korean missiles.

Seoul officials will hold aviation talks with their counterparts in Asia, such as Thailand and Taiwan, to make it possible to increase flights to these countries, while reducing flights to China, the statement said.

"We need to reduce our heavy dependence on China and develop alternative routes to prosper over the long term," a ministry official said.

The government will also offer incentives to travel agencies that succeed in attracting travelers from Southeast Asia, Russia and Japan. Incheon International Airport plans to develop tourism products to woo individual Chinese travelers, the statement said. (Yonhap)

More from Headlines