South Korea and China Expand Air Traffic Rights Amid Rising Travel Demand
South Korea and China have agreed to expand their bilateral air traffic rights for the first time since 2019, allowing for increased passenger and cargo services between the two countries. According to South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the agreement will increase available frequencies from 662 to 732 per week. This includes an addition of 56 passenger frequencies, raising the total to 664 weekly services, and 14 cargo frequencies, increasing the total to 68 per week. The expansion comes as travel demand between South Korea and China has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with passenger traffic reaching 4.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared to 4.1 million in the same period of 2019. The agreement will also see an increase in weekly frequency limits on major routes such as Seoul Incheon-Beijing and Seoul Incheon-Shanghai, as well as additional capacity on routes linking Seoul Incheon with other Chinese cities. 
