KOTA KINABALU: Batik Air has launched its new direct service between Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah (KKIA) and Incheon International Airport, Seoul last Friday (Sept 12).
Further strengthening the connection between East Malaysia and one of its most important tourism markets, the thrice-weekly service offers a convenient and seamless travel option for South Korean visitors while positioning Kota Kinabalu as a key tourism gateway in the region.
The importance of this connection is underscored by the strong demand from South Korea. From January to July, Sabah recorded nearly 103,060 arrivals from the country, making it one of the state’s largest and fastest-growing international markets. In 2024 alone, Sabah recorded 192,059 Korean visitors. The new direct flights by Batik Air are expected to accelerate this growth by reducing travel time, enhancing accessibility, and providing travellers with greater flexibility in planning their holidays.
Batik Air CEO Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said: “This new service marks an exciting step in Batik Air’s ongoing network growth, particularly in connecting East Malaysia to key cities across Asia. South Korea has long been an important market for Kota Kinabalu, and we are confident that this direct link will create more opportunities for cultural exchange, tourism growth, and business collaboration.”
With this new route, he added Batik Air aims to attract more visitors to Kota Kinabalu and East Malaysia, while further supporting national efforts to welcome greater numbers of international travellers in the lead-up to Visit Malaysia 2026.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew described this new service as a significant boost for Sabah’s tourism sector.
“With this addition, the total weekly flight connections from Seoul to Kota Kinabalu have increased from 25 to 28 flights weekly. This enhanced connectivity strengthens our position as a preferred destination for South Korean traveller. We are confident this route will be a success, bringing more visitors to experience our unique culture and breathtaking natural beauty,” she added.
Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general (Promotion II) Lee Thai Hung said: “Tourism Malaysia is proud to support the launch of Batik Air’s Incheon–Kota Kinabalu service through our International and Charter Flight Matching Grant programme, as we gear up for upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026. This new route will give an option, not only strengthening Malaysia’s air connectivity with South Korea but also underscores our commitment to working with airline partners to enhance Malaysia’s presence in the South Korean market. This platform will also generate sustainable, long-term benefits for both our tourism industry and the local economy.”