Chairmen of the Hanjin Group Jo Jung-hun and of KAL Jo Yang-ho announced Friday they would lease out their companies' Gulf Stream IV private plane to VIPs during the hosting of the 2002 World Cup Finals. KAL said that it would lease the jet for costs involved in fuel, landing and taking off if requested by distinguished guest at US$5,000 or W6.5million per hour.

Two to three times a year, foreign visitors have used the jet except when the chairmen were using the plane. Purchased from Gulf Stream Aerospace for US$20.5 million in 1994, the jet carries 14 passengers, offers satellite phone calls and has a kitchen, and is often described as a flying limousine.

There are such two planes in Korea, the KAL-Hanjin one and one called the "Global Express" owned by Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

(Kim Seong-beom, sbkim@chosun.com )