Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Obtain Approval from Their Boards of Directors and Shareholders for Their Merger
Seoul, August 12, 2026 – Korean Air’s Board of Directors and Asiana Airlines’ shareholders have approved the merger agreement, marking a major milestone as the two airlines prepare to launch an integrated airline on December 17, 2026.
Korean Air’s Board of Directors ratified the merger agreement on August 12, thereby fulfilling the requirements for a small-scale merger set out in Article 527-3 of the Korean Commercial Act. At the same time, Asiana Airlines obtained approval from its shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting, with a voter turnout of 81.86% and 99.3% (167,436,677 shares) of votes cast in favor.
These approvals formally ratify the merger agreement signed by the two Boards of Directors in May 2026. Once the creditor protection procedures and remaining administrative formalities have been completed, the merger registration will be finalized on December 17, 2026.
Korean Air is continuing to implement its Post-Merger Integration (PMI) plan. Following the conditional approval of the merger issued by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on June 25 and the approval of its merger registration statement on July 24, the airline is currently proceeding with amendments to its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and obtaining international operating approvals, in close consultation with the relevant authorities.
With the merger approvals now finalized, the two airlines are accelerating their operational preparations, with a focus on systems integration, joint training and team mobilization ahead of the launch.
About Korean Air
For more than 55 years, Korean Air has connected the world and ranks among the world’s 20 largest airlines, carrying more than 25 million passengers in 2025. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 116 cities in 39 countries across five continents with a modern fleet of 167 aircraft and more than 20,000 employees.
Korean Air’s outstanding performance and commitment to the highest levels of safety and customer service have been widely recognized. The airline has received numerous awards, including a 5-star rating from Skytrax and the title of “Airline of the Year” from Air Transport World and Airline Ratings. Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance and has become one of the largest transpacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.
Source: Korean Air
