Incheon International Airport targets 'bio cargo'... strengthens European cold-chain alliance

[Financial News] Incheon International Airport is stepping up efforts to attract high-value air cargo, including pharmaceuticals and biotech products. It has joined forces with major domestic logistics companies, including Korean Air, LX Pantos and Hanjin, to target global cargo markets. In particular, it plans to expand cold-chain (temperature-controlled distribution) cooperation with Brussels Airport in Belgium, a leading European pharmaceutical logistics hub, and strengthen a high-value logistics network linking Northeast Asia and Europe.
Incheon International Airport Corporation said on the 29th that it had participated in Air Cargo Forum 2026, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in the United States from the 27th to the 29th (local time), and carried out efforts to attract new air cargo, targeting global logistics companies.
Organized by the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the forum is the world's largest specialized air cargo event, with around 4,000 people from airports, airlines and logistics companies around the world taking part. It provides a venue to share the latest trends in the global air logistics market and explore new business opportunities.
Incheon International Airport Corporation operated a joint promotional booth, the Incheon Airport Pavilion, with Korean Air, LX Pantos and Hanjin at the event. The airport operator, airlines and logistics companies worked together to promote Incheon International Airport's air network and logistics infrastructure and attract cargo from global clients.
It focused its efforts on securing high-value cargo such as pharmaceuticals, biotech products and fresh cargo, which require rapid transport and precise temperature control. The plan is to enhance its competitiveness as a logistics hub by expanding into special cargo sectors that require specialized transport facilities and management systems, in addition to general air cargo.
Cooperation with European logistics hubs also took concrete shape. During the forum, Incheon International Airport Corporation held a working-level meeting with Brussels Airport in Belgium and discussed follow-up cooperation on the cargo-sector memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last June.
The two sides considered establishing a cold-chain cooperation system to ensure the reliable transport of temperature-sensitive cargo, including pharmaceuticals and biotech products, as well as identifying new cargo demand, sharing market information and conducting joint marketing. Through these efforts, they plan to strengthen the air cargo network linking Northeast Asia and Europe and expand the foundation for attracting high-value cargo.
Chang-kyu Kim, head of the Operations Division at Incheon International Airport Corporation, said, "Through this forum, Incheon International Airport, airlines and logistics companies were able to work together as one team and promote Incheon International Airport's logistics competitiveness on the international stage. As the importance of high-value cargo such as pharmaceuticals and biotech products has recently grown, we will actively attract new cargo demand based on Incheon International Airport's excellent air network and logistics infrastructure and strengthen its competitiveness as Asia's leading air logistics hub."

[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter