Seoul, Oct 29 (IANS): Airlines of South Korea and European Union (EU) member states will be allowed to operate without restrictions on their nationality requirements starting from next month under a new aviation accord, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

South Korea and 22 EU member states signed a horizontal aviation agreement in June 2020, which goes into effect on November 1, Yonhap News Agency quoted the Ministry as saying.

The horizontal accord will ease nationality requirements for airlines to allow any EU member states to operate on the routes between the two sides, it noted.

Currently, air carriers are allowed to fly to South Korea from the countries to which they belong under bilateral aviation agreements.

For example, Deutsche Lufthansa AG is required to take off from Germany, not other countries, to reach South Korea.

The Ministry said it expects the new aviation accord to increase flights between South Korea and the EU, and give a wider range of options for passengers.