13 Thai tourists disappear after arriving in Muan Int'l Airport

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- Thirteen out of 174 Thai tourists who arrived at Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea last week have not shown up for their return flight and remained out of contact, the justice ministry said Monday.

The Thais landed at the Muan airport in Muan, 385 kilometers south of Seoul, on a chartered flight last Monday to visit major tourist attractions in South Jeolla Province. But 13 of them did not board their return flight slated for Sunday, the ministry said.

The missing tourists reportedly broke away from their group on the fourth day of sightseeing.

International flights resumed at the Muan airport in July last year after a COVID-19-related hiatus of over two years. The chartered flight from Thailand was the first of its kind to arrive in Muan since the outbreak of the pandemic.

The provincial government of South Jeolla, to which Muan belongs, aims to attract about 2,400 Thai tourists via chartered flights by the end of March but the latest disappearance of some Thai tourists is expected to negatively affect the goal.

ycm@yna.co.kr
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