SEOUL: The volume of international air cargo handled by South Korean carriers increased by 13 percent through September, amid ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea maritime shipping route, data revealed on Sunday. The rise marks a significant shift as air carriers adapt to geopolitical challenges affecting shipping costs and transit times.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reported that South Korea’s 11 air carriers transported 2.09 million tons of international cargo from January to September. This is a notable increase from the 1.84 million tons recorded during the same period last year and represents the first time the nine-month figures exceeded 2 million tons since 2018, when they reached 2.07 million tons.
The increase in air cargo volume is attributed to rising maritime shipping costs and prolonged transit times due to the geopolitical crisis in the Red Sea. Additionally, the growing popularity of Chinese online shopping platforms in South Korea and heig
htened exports in industries such as semiconductors and cosmetics have supported this growth in air cargo.
By individual carrier, Korean Air Lines Co. recorded a 12 percent increase in international cargo volume, reaching 1.19 million tons. Asiana Airlines Inc. reported a 6.8 percent rise to 565,000 tons. Jeju Air Co. experienced a significant 25.7 percent increase, handling 86,000 tons of cargo. Meanwhile, Air Incheon, which plans to finalize its acquisition of Asiana’s cargo business division next year, maintained its cargo volume at 29,000 tons, showing little change from the previous year.