KAL launches Harubie to promote Cheju

Korean Air Lines (KAL) announced the launch Thursday of an A300-600 passenger airliner, which features Cheju Island- themed fuselage paintings, on its domestic Seoul-Cheju and international Pusan-Cheju-Tokyo routes. The images include ``Harubang,`` huge stone statues that look like an old man, Mt. Halla, tangerines and rape flowers.

The national flag carrier said it painted the aircraft fuselage as part of efforts to publicize Cheju Island and promote Visit Korea Year 2001. The plane was named Harubie after Harubang and bie, which means flight in Korean.