Boeing 737 Max ban to be lifted in South Korea next week

South Korea will lift its ban on Boeing Co.’s 737 Max on Monday, joining most other countries in clearing the jet to fly again after a lengthy grounding in the wake of crashes about three years ago. China remains the last major holdout sticking to a ban.

The decision to clear the Max came after a thorough review of fixes made to the aircraft and monitoring of flights resumed in other countries, South Korea’s transport ministry said in an emailed statement Friday. Cash-strapped budget carrier Eastar Jet Inc. is the only airline in the country that has Max planes, with two in its overall fleet of four aircraft. Korean Air Lines Co. has 30 of the narrow-bodies on order and Jeju Air Co. has 40. 

The transport ministry said it will step up safety checks to make sure airlines are providing adequate training for pilots and making appropriate fixes when the planes are delivered and put into service. 

The Max was grounded worldwide in March 2019 following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. The aircraft started to return to service late last year, with the U.S. and Brazil the first to lift the ban, followed by Europe and other markets. Singapore, Malaysia and India are among Asian nations that have cleared the Max in recent months. 

Boeing is optimistic about the Max in China, the head of its commercial airplanes division Stan Deal said in an interview Sunday.