Asiana transports 218 S. Korean students to Vietnam

SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) -- Asiana Airlines Inc. said Sunday it has transported over 200 South Korean students to Vietnam as the Southeast Asian country issued a one-off permit for the transportation.

Asiana flight OZ733 left Incheon International Airport at 9:20 a.m. Sunday with 218 Korean students on board and will arrive at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi at 12 p.m., the company said in a statement.

All the students will be placed under self-quarantine for two weeks under the guidance of the local health authorities, it said.

"The transportation of Korean students is a one-off event, but we hope it will help normalize flights between the two countries as soon as possible," a company spokesman said.

On March 22, Vietnam banned all foreigners from entering its territory and all multinational airlines from flying through the Hanoi airport to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement said.

To enter the Southeast Asian country, foreign carriers have to use the Van Don International Airport, about 140 kilometers away from the Noi Bai airport, it said.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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