The number of planes owned by South Korean airlines surpassed 400 to hit a record high last year.

According to the data submitted to Rep. Lee Yeon-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party on Sunday, 12 domestic airlines operated a total of 416 airplanes, including 42 cargo planes, at the end of last year.

The figure represents an increase of 23 from a year earlier and marks the highest since a private airplane was first registered in the country in 1977.

Korean Air took up the largest share of 39-point-seven percent of the total, or 165 planes, followed by Asiana Airlines at 83 planes and Jeju Air at 41.

The number is expected to climb further to 432 this year as domestic airlines notified the Transport Ministry of their plans to introduce 54 new planes while disposing of 38 outdated aircraft.