Pentagon rescinds ban on official
military travel with Korean airline
By Jim Lea, Osan bureau chief
The Pentagon has lifted a two-year ban on official military travel
aboard Korean Air, an airline official said on Tuesday.
The company received a letter Monday from the Defense
Department’s Commercial Aircraft Review Board saying the “temporary non-use
order” issued in 1999 has been rescinded, said Ko In-soo, spokesman for the airline.
The order was lifted as a result of an onsite inspection the board
conducted in August, he said.
Korean Air, South Korea’s major flag carrier, was placed on the
temporary non-use list in December 1999 after one of its cargo jets crashed in London.
Steve Oertwig, U.S. Forces Korea spokesman, confirmed that the ban
has been lifted.
While it was in effect, it created problems for military personnel in
getting around the country. People who arrived by air in Seoul headed for duty at Kunsan
Air Base, 100 miles south, for example had to travel to Kunsan by bus or train, Oertwig
said.
The ban affected only official travel. Leisure travel still was
allowed.
Ko said that since the order was issued the airline has spent more
than $300 million in upgrading safety. That has included sending its pilots and flight
crews through a Boeing flight safety school and adding more safety equipment on its
planes.
Bae Gi-chul contributed to this report.
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