Korean Air will increase its fares for international flights from Jan. 1 as the fuel surcharge has risen by up to W100,000 for round-trip flights due to soaring oil prices (US$1=W939).

The fuel surcharge is an additional per-ticket fee added to fares by airlines according to changes in oil prices.

On Dec. 26, South Korea's largest carrier said that it will raise the fuel surcharge for long-distance flights to Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa from the current US$104 to US$208 from next year.

For short-distance flights from Incheon to China and Southeast Asia, the fuel surcharge will increase from US$50 to US$92 for a round-trip flight.

For Jeju-Fukuoka and Busan-Fukuoka flights the surcharge will increase to US$44 from US$14, and for other flights to Japanese cities it will rise to US$48 from US$22.

Asiana Airlines plans to ask South Korea's Ministry of Construction and Transportation for approval to increase its fuel surcharges by a similar level.