South Korea’s Low-Cost Airline Offers Direct Flights from Clark to Gangwon

With the Filipino obsession with everything Korean, from K-pop to K-drama, it’s no surprise that many people were ecstatic when South Korea announced that it would reinstate visa-free entry to Gangwon Province and Jeju Island. Furthermore, flying directly to Yangyang International Airport (where Gangwon is located) grants you access to the Seoul Metropolitan Area without needing a tourist visa.

Clark International Airport has a direct flight to South Korea.

If you want to avoid the hassle, Fly Gangwon, a South Korean low-cost airline, now flies direct from Clark International Airport to Yangyang International Airport (YNY) every Tuesday and Saturday. Beginning July 21, additional flights are expected every Monday and Thursday. The flight leaves Clark at 1:40 a.m., and the travel time is four hours. According to the Fly Gangwon website, rates begin at KRW 239,200 (approximately P10,143).

The inaugural CRK-YNY flight 4V 216 of Fly Gangwon was inaugurated on June 25 with the usual water salute fanfare. Kim Seung Hyun, CRK Station Manager for Fly Gangwon, stated at the event that they are “excited to provide Philippine passengers with the opportunity to travel to (South) Korea without visa certification and entry permit.”

“Today, we hope that our passengers will enjoy South Korea’s beautiful countryside as well as the bustling city of Seoul,” said LIPAD CEO Bi Yong Chungunco.

From June 1 to May 31, 2023, visa-free entry to Yangyang is only available to groups of five or more travellers from Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Mongolian travellers can join them beginning October 1. Just make sure the group tour is booked through a reputable travel agency.

Fly Gangwon’s only Southeast Asian route is CRK-YNY. It primarily serves Gimpo, Jeju, Daegu, and Yeosu airports in South Korea.