Jeju Air to raise W127b via stock sale for post-pandemic biz

Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest budget carrier, said Thursday it will raise 127b won ($107m) by selling stocks in preparation for the post-coronavirus era. Jeju Air plans to issue 11.26m shares at 18,350 won per share to employees and existing shareholders from Oct. 18-19 and list the stocks on the main Korea Exchange (KRX) on Nov. 19, the company said in a regulatory filing. "The planned rights issue is to secure operating capital as the country aims to gradually shift to a phase of 'living with COVID-19' from mid-November," a company spokesman said. Under the "With Corona" scheme, COVID-19 is treated as an infectious respiratory disease, like seasonal influenza, with eased distancing being implemented. In June, Jeju Air resumed flights to Saipan in a preemptive measure to absorb post-pandemic travel demand. The low-cost carrier has suspended most of its flights on international routes since early last year due to countries' entry restrictions.<br/>