An hour from Seoul: How SUM Air opened a shortcut to the southern coast

Startup regional carrier SUM Air is drawing attention for making southern coastal island travel more accessible to residents of Seoul and the greater metropolitan area.

Getting from the capital to the southern coast has long been a burden. Driving from Seoul to Tongyeong or Goseong took roughly five hours one way, and the return trip after a full day of sightseeing left travelers worn out behind the wheel. Public transit offered little relief: taking the KTX from Seoul Station to Jinju — the nearest high-speed rail stop connected to the Daejeon-Tongyeong Expressway — still required about three and a half hours.

SUM Air's new air route resolves that time problem. The carrier launched scheduled service on the Gimpo–Sacheon route in March and now operates four daily round trips — eight flights in total — on the corridor. Passengers can reach Sacheon Airport from Gimpo Airport in just one hour, dramatically cutting travel time. The journey to Saryang Island, once a logistical headache, also becomes far easier: a 50-minute drive from the airport puts travelers at either Tongyeong's Gaochi Port or Goseong's Yongampo Port, both departure points for ferries to the island. In effect, a direct shortcut from the greater Seoul area to the southern coastal islands is now open.

The aircraft SUM Air has introduced is ATR's latest 72-seat turboprop, the ATR 72-600. The model shares cockpit interface technology with the superjumbo A380 and is equipped with six-blade propellers and an electronic noise-control system that dramatically reduces cabin noise and vibration, delivering a smooth, stable ride even when the aircraft encounters turbulence.

The aircraft's design also sets it apart visually. Its high-wing configuration — with the wings mounted above the fuselage — leaves windows completely unobstructed. Unlike jet aircraft that cruise above 10,000 meters, the ATR 72-600 flies at around 4,000 meters, giving passengers a vivid view of the landscape below. With seat pitch comparable to standard commercial aircraft and fares starting in the 100,000-won range, the carrier has earned praise for matching KTX-level price competitiveness while offering dramatically faster travel times.

SUM Air plans to add aircraft in the second half of this year to launch a Gimpo–Ulsan route and expand its domestic network to include Sacheon–Jeju and Ulsan–Jeju services. Looking further ahead, the airline intends to target short-haul international niche markets such as Japan's Tsushima Island, while also staking an early claim on routes to newly built island airports including those on Ulleungdo, Heuksando and Baengnyeongdo.

terry@heraldcorp.com