Korean Air, Asiana Airlines win approvals for merger

Korean Air’s board of directors and Asiana Airlines’ shareholders have formally approved the merger agreement, finalising a major milestone as the two airlines prepare to launch an integrated airline on December 17, 2026. Korean Air’s board ratified the merger agreement on August 12, fulfilling small-scale merger requirements under Article 527-3 of Korea’s Commercial Act. Concurrently, Asiana Airlines secured shareholder approval during an extraordinary general meeting, with 81.86% shareholder attendance and 99.3% (167,436,677 shares) voting in favour. These approvals formally ratify the merger agreement executed by both boards in May 2026. Following creditor protection procedures and remaining administrative formalities, the corporate merger registration will be completed on December 17, 2026. Korean Air continues to advance its Post-Merger Integration (PMI) roadmap. Following conditional merger approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on June 25 and clearance of its merger registration statement on July 24, the airline is proceeding with Air Operator Certificate (AOC) amendments and international operational permits in close consultation with relevant authorities. With merger approvals finalised, the two airlines are accelerating operational readiness, focusing on systems integration, joint training, and team engagement ahead of the launch. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]