Hokkaido Airports, the operator of seven airports in Hokkaido, announced that it signed an agreement with Korea Airports Corporation Cheongju Airport on May 27, 2024. The two parties agreed to work toward restoring flights between Japan’s northernmost region and Cheongju, which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the agreements, Hokkaido Airports and Korea Airports Corporation will:
- Share information and meet about tourism, air transport, airport operations, etc. related to travel between the airports
- Jointly market establishment and growth of routes between the regions
- Provide mutual support and engage in PR activities to build a foundation for the routes
Before the pandemic, the low-cost airline Eastar Jet offered flights between Cheongju, the only international airport in central South Korea, and Sapporo New Chitose, the largest airport in Hokkaido. The flights were initially operated twice a week before one additional weekly rotation was added.
Currently, Aero K offers flights from Cheongju to Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai. T’Way connects the South Korean airport with Osaka Kansai and Fukuoka.
In addition to Sapporo New Chitose, Hokkaido Airports also operates Asahikawa, Hakodate, Kushiro, Obihiro, Memambetsu, and Wakkanai airports.
