Jeju Air (7C, Jeju) has confirmed it has been given the go-ahead by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to double the number of scheduled flights it operates between Seoul Incheon and Weihai.

In a statement issued on Monday, May 29, the South Korean budget carrier said its second daily service on the route would kick in from June 2 onwards.

The move signals a softening in Beijing's stance against Seoul following the election of the Liberal candidate Moon Jae-in earlier this month.

Prior to the impeachment and dismissal of Moon's predecessor Park Geun-hye, South Korea deployed a United States Air Force THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system to safegaurd against North Korean ballistic missile threats. The move, however, met with strong opposition from China which views it as a threat to its own national security. Beijing subsequently curbed the issuance of air traffic rights to South Korean carriers - charter flights in particular - as punishment for Seoul's stance.

Since his election, Moon has taken a conciliatory tone towards China and has pledged to seek a parliamentary review of the THAAD system. According to Reuters, he dispatched a representative to China to meet President Xi Jinping earlier this month.