Korean Air to suspend flights between South Korea’s Busan and Japan’s Sapporo as trade row deepens

The airline cited falling demand amid the trade conflict as a reason, and said it was also considering cutting the number of flights between both countries

The move comes as several South Korean cities said they would suspend administrative exchanges with Japan until the bilateral relationship improved

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Korean Air is also considering cutting the number of flights between Japan and South Korea. Photo: AP

Published: 5:30pm, 29 Jul 2019Updated: 9:09pm, 29 Jul 2019

Korean Air Lines will suspend its flights between the South Korean city of Busan and Japan’s Sapporo from September 3 because of falling demand amid a worsening diplomatic and economic row between the two neighbours.

South Korea’s top carrier is also considering cutting the number of flights between the two countries or shifting to smaller aircraft from mid-August, a spokesman said.

The number of travellers from South Korea was second only to those from China, accounting for 24.2 per cent of visits last year, according to data from Japan National Tourism Organisation.

The carrier revealed this as several South Korean cities said they would suspend administrative exchanges with Japan including its officials’ visits to the neighbouring country until the bilateral relationship improved.

Among the schemes suspended was the signing of an accord on goodwill exchanges between Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, and Nagasaki Prefecture.