The Ministry of Construction and Transportation said Tuesday South Korea and the Czech Republic have worked out an agreement to operate the first direct flights between Incheon and Prague.

The new route will be flown by Korean Air from next May, with three flights a week.

The ministry said the establishment of the direct air route will ease access to Eastern Europe and expand cultural and human exchanges with the region.

Meanwhile, Korean Air will run air cargo flights between Incheon and Helsinki, Finland once a week from December, which will expedite delivery of exports bound for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).