Korea's transport ministry allows exchanged Note 7s on planes
Korea's transport ministry has sent guidance for airliners to discern between new and old Galaxy Note 7s.
Galaxy Note 7 owners in South Korea who exchanged their phones for a new one are allowed to board planes with them again, the country's transport ministry announced late Tuesday.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said its recommendation on September 10 to halt use -- following Samsung's recall of the phones after battery explosions -- does not apply to the new, exchanged ones.
Airlines in the country have been noted, it said, and told to look at the battery indicators to discern between faulty originals and new ones. The color of the battery indicators was changed to green from white for the new models.
Globally, airlines have banned Note 7 following reports of the phones exploding. Australian airlines banned the phones earlier in the month, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially banned the Note 7 in-flight last week, which is still enforced for the old handsets.
The announcement follows Samsung beginning the Note 7 exchange on Monday, while official sales will begin on September 28 in South Korea.