November 28, 2024

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Terminal 1 of Incheon Airport (Incheon International Airport Corp.)

Incheon Airport marks its 22nd anniversary on Wednesday this year, celebrating a rebound in international travel and cargo shipping after the pandemic upended air travel for three years.

Despite the setback, it has maintained its status as the second-largest logistics hub in Northeast Asia, Incheon International Airport Corp. said in a statement.

Incheon Airport processed the second-largest amount of international cargo in the world both in 2021 and 2022, the airport said. Including passenger planes, its aviation network connects 152 cities in 53 countries all year round with no stops.

The IIAC credits its continuous development of and investment in logistics infrastructure and networks as key to the steady growth of air cargo transportation.

Most notably, the Incheon Free Economic Zone -- the first free economic zone in Korea which includes the Incheon Airport Logistics Complex and cargo terminals -- is a major player in the IIAC’s efforts to keep up with logistics trends and provide customers with better services through convenient customs procedures, tariff benefits and various incentives.

With the growing demand for high-value cargo such as perishable goods and pharmaceutical products, the Incheon International Airport Community, comprising Korean airlines and logistics companies, also received various logistics certifications from the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators -- an international standard certification system that ensures stable air transportation quality for various types of cargo.

The IIAC also laid out further plans to become the top logistics hub in the world, which includes measures such as expanding cargo terminals of world-renowned airlines at Incheon Airport and setting up terminals for fresh cargo such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

By Yu Ji-soo (jisooyu123@heraldcorp.com)