The previous Korean Airlines (KE) office manager for its office in Guam (a US island territory in Micronesia) got himself in hot water after he was charged with depositing company checks into his personal bank account. Office manager, Sung Peel Hwang, was required to determine how much the carrier would be required to pay Guam International Airport (GUM) for the passenger facility charge (PFC) for each traveler that arrives on KE's direct services from Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN).

Hwang would then report the number of passengers back to KE in South Korea before being wired the funds to the Guam-based account. From this point, the manager was responsible for issuing a check for the funds and providing this to the local airport. However, as reported by the Post Guam, between December 2015 and December 2018, Hwang “fraudulently modified legitimate KAL checks made to pay PFC and other office expenses by changing the payee to himself,” before paying the funds into his own account.

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Funds of up to $95,000 pinched

After funds were cleared into his account, the office manager would produce a smaller check to be paid to GUM. Hwang was indicted on bank fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft charges in the District Court of Guam. Over three years, it is reported that the amounts fraudulently taken were between $1,000 and $95,000.

Guam International Airport
Photo: Patrick Bolduan via Wikimedia Commons 

In 2019, an Office of Public Accountability audit noted that the KE's former Guam-based manager had fled to the mainland United States and that KE had registered the missing individual with Interpol, where he is now located in Dallas, Texas.

Double daily service to Guam

The South Korean carrier operates a double daily service between Seoul and Guam, with a mix of both the Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 737-800 operating the route:

Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) to Guam International Airport (GUM)

  • KE421, departing Incheon at 09:45, touching down in Guam at 15:15 (Airbus A330)
  • KE423, departing Incheon at 19:35, touching down in Guam at 01:05 the next day (Boeing 737)
Korean Air Boeing 737-800 airplane at Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) in South Korea
Photo: Markus Mainka/Shutterstock

Guam International Airport (GUM) to Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN)

  • KE424, leaving Guam at 02:25, arriving at Incheon by 06:40
  • KE422, leaving Guam at 17:00, arriving at Incheon by 20:45 (Airbus A330-300)

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Guam Airport (formally Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport) sees multiple carriers operating the route to Seoul, South Korea, as below:

  • Jeju Air (7C) - taking off for Busan, Seoul Incheon, and Tokyo Narita
  • Jin Air (LJ) - headed for Busan and Seoul Incheon
  • Korean Airlines (KE) - double daily to Seoul Incheon
  • T'Way Air (TW) - directly to Seoul Incheon

United Airlines (UA) also utilizes Guam as a hub for its Micronesian operations, with services to Chuuk, Fukuoka, Honolulu, Koror, Kosrae, Kwajalein, Majuro, Manila, Nagoya–Centrair, Osaka–Kansai, Pohnpei, Saipan, Tokyo–Narita and Yap. Once upon a time, United Airlines also connected Guam with Cairns, Australia. However, this route was axed in September 2015.

Other carriers that frequent Guam are Japan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Star Marianas Air.

Sources: Post Guam

  • Korean Air Boeing 787
    Korean Air
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    KE/KAL
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Incheon International Airport
    Year Founded:
    1969
    Alliance:
    SkyTeam
    CEO:
    Walter Cho
    Country:
    South Korea