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South Korea, China Agree First Expansion in Flight Rights in Seven Years
The deal adds 70 weekly flights and lifts passenger rights to 664 as traffic between the countries has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
On Thursday, South Korea and China agreed to expand weekly flight rights for the first time in seven years, increasing passenger flights to 664 and cargo flights to 68 weekly.
Negotiators finalized the deal during aviation talks in Seoul from May 27 to 28, expanding bilateral traffic rights by 70 weekly flights amid warming ties between the Asian neighbors.
Routes will expand from regional airports like Busan and Cheongju to 10 Chinese cities including Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Chongqing, and Xian, while easing capacity limits on high-demand Incheon-to-Shanghai routes.
Passenger travel between the nations rebounded to surpass pre-pandemic levels, with nearly 4.4 million travelers in the first quarter of 2026 reflecting growing bilateral exchanges.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to allocate new rights to South Korean airlines in the second half of 2026. Aviation policy chief Lee So-young emphasized the importance of "entry into the Chinese market.