en.Wedoany.com Reported - The merger agreement between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines has been approved by Korean Air's board of directors and Asiana Airlines' shareholders, respectively. The two carriers plan to complete merger registration on December 17, 2026, and begin operations as a single integrated airline.
Korean Air's board of directors approved the merger agreement on August 12, meeting the conditions for a simplified merger under Article 527-3 of the Korean Commercial Act. On the same day, Asiana Airlines held an extraordinary general meeting, where shareholders voted on the merger with a turnout of 81.86%, and the proposal was approved with 167,436,677 shares in favor, representing 99.3% of the votes cast. The approvals pertain to the merger agreement signed by the boards of both carriers in May 2026.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) granted conditional approval for the merger on June 25 and approved the merger registration statement on July 24. Once the creditor protection procedures and remaining administrative formalities are completed, the merger registration will be finalized on December 17. Currently, Korean Air is in discussions with relevant authorities to amend its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and obtain international operating approvals.
Post-merger integration (PMI) plans are underway. As the merger approval process concludes, both carriers have initiated operational preparations, focusing on system integration, joint training, and team mobilization to prepare for operations following the merger.
With a history of over 55 years of operations, Korean Air ranks among the world's top 20 airlines by passenger traffic, carrying more than 25 million passengers in 2025. The airline operates a fleet of 167 aircraft with over 20,000 employees, serving 116 cities across 39 countries on five continents, with Incheon International Airport (ICN) as its global hub. Korean Air has received a five-star rating from Skytrax and has been named "Airline of the Year" by Air Transport World and Airline Ratings. The carrier is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance and, through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines, is one of the largest transpacific airlines.
