The Korean Air Lines will open a direct air route linking Seoul of the Republic of Korea with Urumqi, capital of China's westernmost Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to sources with the ROK embassy to China.

The new air route is expected to open in mid-April. Flights will make the trip from Seoul to Urumqi every Tuesday and Thursday and return every Wednesday and Friday.

The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) has approved the ROK application for opening the new route. The weekly flight will use Airbus A330, said a CAAC official.

Periodic flights had been arranged between the two cities since 2004.