Korean air carriers now able to transport Korean made goods to Africa

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) held air consultations with Tunisia on 11 May 2009 in Tunis. The two sides agreed to liberalization of 3rd and 4th freedom traffic (direct non-stop services between Korea and Tunisia) for both passenger and cargo services.

In addition, the two sides exchanged 7 weekly frequencies of 5th freedom traffic rights (right to load/unload traffic at an intermediate point) for cargo services designating Frankfurt as an intermediate point.

Tunisia had maintained the position that it cannot allow exercise of 5th freedom traffic rights from major European cities serviced by Tunisian air carriers. This marks the first time that Korea reached air services liberalization and exchange of 5th freedom traffic rights with a country in the Mediterranean coast of North African.

The outcome of this round of Korea/Tunisia air consultations will serve as a good precedence for future consultations with other African countries like Libya, Morocco, and South Africa that are important partners in Korea's energy diplomacy. Furthermore, the use of 5th freedom traffic rights for cargo services means that Korean made mobile phones and
televisions that were transported to Europe and from there transported to African countries by foreign air carriers can now be transported by Korean national carriers from Korea to Africa.

MLTM official said, "Korean air carriers' transport to Africa of Korean made TVs and mobile phones that are top sellers in the African region will mean significant savings in transhipment costs. The ministry will try to hold air consultations with Tunisia again soon and make efforts to obtain passenger 5th freedom rights in order to promote Korea's energy diplomacy with the African region and to boost travels between the two countries."