Asiana launches World Cup flights

Asiana launches World Cup flights

SEOUL (AFP): Asiana Airlines of South Korea said it would launch a new service from Seoul to Miyazaki in Japan beginning on Tuesday as part of efforts to improve services between the two hosts of the 2002 World Cup soccer finals.

An Asiana official said there would be three flights a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The airline also launched a three times a week service from Seoul's Inchon International Airport to Yonago in western Japan on April 2.

The lack of air services between South Korea and Japan has been criticized ahead of the World Cup finals which start on May 31 next year. Asiana said it had received requests from Japanese provincial governments for extra services to handle World Cup business.