South Korea’s largest air carrier by fleet size, Korean Air said Wednesday the company has planted 5,000 maple trees in a Mongolian desert located in Baganuur to fight regional desertification.

Two hundred people including executives of Korean Air, staff of US carrier Delta Air Lines and local residents participated in the Global Planting Project that ran May 13-16, the company said.



Delta Air’s participation was meaningful as it also marked the first anniversary of a joint venture between the two air carriers, it added.

Korean Air has been running the Global Planting Project for 16 years. Since 2004, the project narrowed down specifically to a desert in Baganuur, in which a tree planting region called the Korean Air Forest has been installed.

Currently, the Korean Air Forest has amassed some 44 hectares in area, with some 125,000 trees planted.

The company will also donate computers, desks and sports equipment to local schools.

By Cho Hyee-su (chohyeesu@heraldcorp.com)