Jeju pushes resident priority on flights as seat shortages rise

For some Jeju residents, being able to fly in and out of the southern resort island is essential for work, medical treatment and other necessary travel.  

As continued shortages of airline seats on Jeju routes raise concerns over residents’ right to mobility, new Jeju Gov. Wi Seong-gon proposed a priority reservation system for residents.  

The proposal came amid public debate over whether a portion of Jeju flight seats should be reserved first for Jeju residents, who often have to compete with tourists for seats. 

Under Wi’s proposal, raised last month as governor elect, airlines would be asked to reserve 10 to 20 percent of total seats for Jeju residents up to 72 hours before departure. The aim is to ease the burden on residents who need flights for urgent reasons, but are forced to compete with tourists for the same seats. 

For Jeju's 691,000 residents, flights are an essential form of infrastructure to help them commute in and out of the island. According to data of aviation business plans submitted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Rep. Kim Han-kyu of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) received by the Korea JoongAng Daily, the total number of seats supplied on the Jeju-Gimpo route in April this year was 1,189,905. This was a decrease of 182,236 seats from January, when 1,372,141 seats were supplied.  

Although the number recovered to 1,295,360 seats in May, it is difficult to view the shortage as only a temporary issue. This is because demand from both foreign and domestic visitors to Jeju has been increasing. 

According to Jeju Tourism Organization, 2,242,187 foreign tourists visited Jeju in 2025, up 17.7 percent from 1,905,696 the previous year.  

In particular, the number of Chinese tourists reached 1,588,107, a 14.8 percent increase from the 2024, while the number of Taiwanese tourists rose 46.5 percent to 233,590. If airline seat supply decreases while tourism demand continues to rise, Jeju residents may face higher ticket prices and even greater difficulty securing seats. 

DP Rep. Moon Dae-rim has taken a more institutional approach. Moon proposed a revision bill that would legally define Jeju’s domestic air routes as an essential transportation network. The bill includes measures that would allow the central government or local governments to provide financial support. 

Although both proposals aim to improve Jeju residents’ right to mobility, their approaches are different. Gov. Wi’s resident priority reservation system focuses on securing seats through agreements with airlines. Moon’s proposal, on the other hand, seeks to define Jeju air routes as an essential transportation network so that the government can intervene in the future when seat shortages or fare burdens arise. 

Unlike mainland regions, which have alternatives such as railways and highways, Jeju has limited infrastructure and fewer transportation options compared to other areas. As flight burdens increase and travel choices become more limited, the daily lives of Jeju residents could be directly affected. 

BY HUR KYUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]