Korean Air Lines Co. said Friday that it has been picked as one of the best foreign carriers in a poll of Chinese consumers by an international travel magazine.

The monthly Wue Lu, the Chinese edition of New York-based Travel and Leisure magazine, included South Korea’s largest flag carrier among foreign airlines “welcomed” by Chinese travelers.

The announcement was made at the China Travel Award event held in Shanghai, with the airlines being picked based on reviews by ordinary consumers, travel industry insiders and a online poll.

Korean Air said that it received high marks for continuing to upgrade its flight services, and offering extensive routes easily accessible to Chinese travelers. It added that the company’s efforts to make contributions to Chinese communities buoyed its corporate image in the world’s most populous country.

In addition to Korean Air, leading airline companies such as Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and All Nippon Airways were recognized as top foreign carriers. (Yonhap News)