FERRY TRIPS BETWEEN KOREA AND JAPAN RESUME

[Anchor Lead]

Passenger ferries operating between S. Korea and Japan which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic resumed after 2 years and 8 months. Attention is now being drawn to whether the move can cater for the quickly-increasing travel demand between the two countries.

[Pkg]

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the second largest suspension bridge in the world, comes into view on the horizon.

[Soundbite] "Enjoy the view of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge."

Tourists are busy trying to capture the breathtaking scenery from the deck. Passenger ferries between South Korea and Japan have resumed operations for the first time since they were suspended two years and eight months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Soundbite] Ko Sun-hwa(Daegu resident) : "The view of the ocean from the deck is very refreshing."

[Soundbite] Hasuka Kimura(Japanese tourist) : "I want to visit beautiful cafes in Nampo-dong in Busan, and try the famous pork rib hangover soup, which I heard is a famous local delicacy."

The two countries have agreed to apply similar COVID restrictions to ferry passengers as the risk of outbreaks on board the ferries remains. Following an agreement between the Korean and Japanese governments to resume ferry operations, the Busan-Fukuoka route is available again. Discussions are also underway on the quarantine and customs procedures for ferry tours to Shimonoseki and Tsushima Island. This is because the number of Korean and Japanese citizens traveling between the two countries has surged since the COVID restrictions were eased. The number of passengers on ferries operating between Korea and Japan recorded around one million a year before the pandemic. The tourism sector hopes some of the air travel passengers will now opt to travel by ferry.