SCAT launches direct Incheon–Shymkent flights
Kazakhstan's SCAT Airlines launched direct flights between Incheon and Shymkent, the third-largest city of the Central Asian nation, Thursday.
At the launch ceremony, the Kazakh Embassy in Seoul said that the new route will operate twice a week using Boeing 737 Max aircraft, alongside 13 existing weekly flights between Kazakhstan and Korea.
Speaking in an interview with The Korea Herald, SCAT Korea President Ahn Byung-chul expressed optimism in the regional impact of the new route.
'Central Asia is emerging as an increasingly important region. The direct Incheon–Shymkent flight will connect more people in both countries,' Kim told The Korea Herald, vowing that SCAT will ensure smooth service for partners and guests from abroad.
Interacting with The Korea Herald, Cho Hyun-min, a representative from Hana Tour who works with the Europe, Middle East and Africa aviation supply team, welcomed the Incheon-Shymkent route.
'We are seeing a large number of customers traveling to the Caucasus region via Almaty and Astana,' Cho told The Korea Herald, referring to the two larger cities in Kazakhstan .
'If SCAT Airlines increases its capacity, it will greatly enhance our product offerings,' the Hana Tour representative added.
'With the Incheon–Shymkent service, Kazakhstan and Korea will now be connected by a total of 15 direct flights per week,' the embassy said, sharing a press release with The Korea Herald.
Shymkent is a metropolis in southern Kazakhstan of around 1.2 million people and has opened a new airport capable of serving up to 2 million passengers annually, according to embassy.
'Kazakhstan has a 30-day visa-free regime for Korean citizens,' said Kazakh Ambassador to Korea Nurgali Arystanov, urging travel agencies and tour operators to develop accessible and competitive tour packages.
'Our (Kazakh-Korean) travel and tourism exchanges have seen 12 percent growth recently,' Arystanov noted, citing Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and former Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol meeting last year as a breakthrough.
The visit marked the first by a South Korean president in five years, concluding with a joint statement and an agreement to establish a critical minerals supply chain, with Kazakhstan offering rich resources such as uranium, chrome, titanium, and bismuth, which are for Korea's battery and electric vehicles industries.
'With this new route, I'm confident more Korean companies will establish a presence in Shymkent.'
'SCAT now carries over 2 million passengers annually, and this route reflects our growing commitment to the Korean market,' said Andrey Tsygankov, a SCAT representative in Korea.
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