Direct Route Between Koreas Will Be Open

It is anticipated that a direct route between the Yangyang International Airport, which is scheduled to be open early April, and Sundeok Airport in South Hamkyung.

According to the Ministry of Unification and the Ministry of Construction and Transportation, KEDO and the North are negotiating about the direct route between the two airports based on the Inter-Korean Traffic Agreement in 1997.

The Yangyang-Sundeok line is for the transportation of the personnel and supplies for the light water project and the injured. Leased airplane may be used if necessary.

The personnel and supplies for the light water reactor have been delivered through maritime route between Sokcho and Yanghwa in South Hamkyung or irregular flights from Incheon via Beijing to Sundeok.

The direct distance between Yangyang and Sundeok is 150 km and it will take about 40 minutes for one-way flight.

The government has reviewed three possible routes for the Inter-Korean direct route; Incheon International Airport – Sundeok Airport, Incheon International Airport – Pyongyang-Sundeok Airport, and Yangyang airport – Sundeok airport and decided the third option considering the flight distance and the accessibility to the airport.

Yangyang International Airport, which will be open on April 3rd, is constructed in Hakpo-Ri, Yangyang, in the land of 730,000 pyongs. It will be the 8th largest airport in Korea.

Sundeok Airport is located in Sundeok, Jeongpyong-Gun, South Hamkyung, and is the North Korean airport that the only domestic airline is put into regular operation between Pyongyang via Sundeok and Chungjin.

Jae-Seong Hwang jsonhng@donga.com · Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com