Incheon International Airport Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sakhalin government and Aurora, a Russian Far East air carrier, to tap into airport development projects in Russia’s Far East, the company said Thursday.

“By forming a successful cooperative relationship with the Sakhalin provincial government and Aurora, Incheon International Airport Corporation will advance into airport-related businesses in Russia’s Far East and the Commonwealth of Independent States,” Chung Il-young, CEO of Incheon Airport, said in a statement.

The memorandum signing took place at the presence of Chung, governor of the Sakhalin region Oleg Kozhemyako and Konstantin Sukhorebrik, the head of Aurora in Vladivostok, Russia.

Incheon Airport noted that the memorandum is a key outcome from the transportation segment during the Eastern Economic Forum, which South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Russian President Vladimir Putin are participating in.

On Incheon Airport’s know-hows in airport construction and management, the company will work with the Sakhalin government to enhance management efficiency and service quality of the airport in the region.

The total number of passengers that transferred at Incheon International Airport headed for or out of Russia rose 15.2 percent on-year to 104,579 passengers in June this year, the company said.

The memorandum is expected to further boost the number of passengers inbound and outbound of Russia transferring at Incheon, the company said.

Incheon Airport has won 26 projects across 13 countries ever since its involvement in Iraq’s Erbil International Airport in 2009.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)