Turkish national carrier Turkish Airlines, or THY, has signed a new code-share agreement with South Korea’s Asiana Airlines as part of its ambitious expansion program.

The agreement, which will go into effect Oct. 25, will enhance the flow of trade and tourism between Turkey and South Korea, THY said on its Web site last week.

“We are delighted to conclude a code-share arrangement with Asiana Airways. This is a testament to the growing relationship between THY and Asiana, our new partner,” said THY Chief Executive Officer Temel Kotil. “We will make every effort to maximize the opportunities offered by our combined network. More importantly, customers are the ultimate winners, as they benefit from the extensive networks of both airlines linking both hubs, Istanbul and Seoul, and beyond.”

As an outcome of the new code-share agreement, passengers from Seoul will be able to connect on Turkish Airlines’ network to any of the carrier’s 119 international destinations, including routes to Turkey, Europe, North America, South America, Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Passengers from Istanbul will also be able to enjoy the convenience of Asiana Airlines’ wide network of connections to South Korea and to popular places in Japan, China and Southeast Asia. Asiana’s network covers 82 international destinations.

“With this agreement, Asiana Airlines and THY will develop a strong network through code-sharing and create synergy. I hope collaboration between both airlines will extend in all areas,” said Asiana Airlines CEO Young-Doo Yoon.

Passengers on both carriers will also benefit from the reciprocal frequent-flyer program between Asiana Airlines’ Asiana Club and Turkish Airlines’ Miles and Smiles.

THY passenger numbers rose 10.1 percent in the first nine months of this year from a year earlier, despite an overall decline in global aviation revenues. The Turkish airline carried 18.6 million passengers during this period, according to a company statement to the Istanbul Stock Exchange on Oct. 13.

International business-class flights on THY rose 3.3 percent while international transit passengers jumped 43.9 percent and the airline’s seat-capacity usage fell 4 percentage points to 70.9 percent, according to the statement.

Pegasus in Kyrgyzstan

In another aviation-related development, Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines has set up a new joint venture with Kyrgyzstan’s state airline company.

Pegasus has a 49 percent stake in the new company, named Kyrgyz Pegasus Airlines, or KRA. The agreement between Pegasus and the Kyrgyz state airline company was signed last week.

As Kyrgyzstan has no passenger planes suitable for international flights, the Kyrgyz government plans to use Pegasus planes to launch international flights, as well as to start cheap domestic flights, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Ömürbek Babanov said at the signing ceremony that the joint venture means the start of a new era between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan, noting that the new airline company would be a bridge between the two countries.

Under the agreement, Pegasus will allocate two planes for domestic flights from the Kyrgyz state airline company. KRA will start its own operations in Kyrgyzstan in November with five planes.

The new joint venture will fly from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to Istanbul, Dubai, Seoul, Astana (Kazakhstan) and Moscow