Korean Air (KRX:003490) is operating 17 charter round-trip flights between Seoul and four Japanese regional cities through the autumn travel season, capitalizing on growing Korean tourist interest in regional Japan beyond Tokyo and Osaka. The routes cover Iwate, Wakayama, Niigata and Oita prefectures.
The charter operations follow record Korean visitor arrivals in Japan. First-half 2026 Korean visitors to Japan totalled 5.67 million, up 18.6% from a year earlier, with rising interest in regional cuisine, hot springs and seasonal cultural experiences.
Korean Air's market capitalisation was ₩10.7 trillion at Thursday's close. Charter operations carry lower crew costs and higher load factors than scheduled service, improving unit economics for leisure segments where demand is seasonal and concentrated.
Regional Japan tourism promotion agencies are contracting carriers for direct flights from Seoul as online travel platforms make regional access visible to Korean consumers.
kstock reads DART every morning and writes up what moved — the contract, the buyback, the number that does not add up. The daily post and a Saturday roundup, by email.
| Symbol | Last Price |
|---|---|
| 003490Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. | ₩30,200 +3.6% |