US blacklists President Moon's plane
Chosun Ilbo reported that President Moon Jae-in's plane is banned from entering the US without special permission because it once carried him to North Korea.
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in (center) shakes hands with Czech President's Office Chief Jan Novák (left) upon arriving in Prague on November 27. Photo:Chosun Ilbo. |
The US blacklisted the plane carrying South Korean President Moon Jae-in because it carried him to North Korea.Chosun Ilbo"Blacklisted aircraft can only enter the United States with special permission," an unnamed diplomatic source said yesterday.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order last September banning all aircraft that have visited North Korea from entering the US for 180 days, but allowing some exceptions.
A US government official confirmed that President Moon's plane was given special permission when he arrived in New York on September 24 to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting and meet with his US counterpart.
Last month, the South Korean presidential office had to choose the Czech Republic as the mid-flight refueling base for President Moon’s plane to Argentina for the G20 summit because the ban was still in place. The plane was originally scheduled to land in Los Angeles so Moon could meet with the Korean-American community there.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have held three summits this year, the third of which took place in Pyongyang. This time, Moon flew to the North Korean capital to meet Kim to discuss improving relations between the two Koreas and denuclearization.
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Kim Jong-un (left) welcomed Moon Jae-in at Pyongyang airport in September. Photo:AFP. |
The plane that carries the President of South Korea on international flights is a Boeing 747-400 chartered from Korean Air. The plane is painted white with red and blue stripes on the sides.