A passenger plane has caught fire before takeoff at an airport in South Korea, but all 176 people on board have been safely evacuated.

All 176 people were evacuated from an Air Busan jet that caught on fire at a South Korean airport, with reports suggesting a battery could be the cause.

An Airbus plane belonging to South Korean carrier Air Busan caught fire on Tuesday at Gimhae International Airport in the country's south while preparing for departure to Hong Kong, fire authorities said.