Jinan, capital of north China's Shandong Province, is expected to have its first international airlink at the end of this month.

A spokesman with China Eastern Airlines, which will operate the first flight, said here Tuesday that it would go to Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea (ROK), on May 27.

The biweekly route operated by airlines from both countries will take off from Jinan at 11:30 am (Beijing Time) every Monday and Friday and return from Seoul at 1:55 pm (2:55 pm Seoul Time).

A single trip by Airbus A320 will take one hour and 20 minutes and cost 1,140 yuan (US$137). The price for a round trip will be 2,260 yuan (272 dollars), according to the spokesman.

The airlink will open in time for the World Cup and is expectedto increase the number of Chinese tourists to the ROK, where China's national team will play its World Cup debut match with Costa Rica on June 4.

( People's Daily May 22, 2002)