South Korean airlines will likely suffer disruptions to services as China commences large-scale military drills around Taiwan in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island.

Beijing designated six exclusion zones surrounding Taiwan to facilitate its military exercises, including live-fire drills, in the sea and air from noon on Thursday to noon on Sunday.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on Wednesday that the Chinese government sent a notice to the ministry to that effect, saying that ships and aircraft should not enter the specified airspace during this period.

The ministry expects disruptions for about 100 South Korean flights routed through the zones.

The ministry alerted local airlines and issued a related safety warning.