Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Approves Korean Air-Asiana Merger with Conditions; Integrated Airline to Launch December 17

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has completed its review under the Aviation Business Act regarding the corporate merger application filed by Korean Air for its subsidiary, Asiana Airlines, and has granted conditional approval for the merger.
Korean Air and Asiana Airlines previously signed a merger agreement on May 14 and subsequently applied to the Ministry for merger approval.
Regarding Korean Air's application, the Ministry conducted a rigorous review equivalent to the standards for issuing a new license. This process included consultation with an "advisory group for the merger," composed of experts in fields such as the aviation industry, consumer affairs, employment, law, and accounting, as well as professional reviews by research institutes and accounting firms.
Through this process, the Ministry confirmed that the relevant legal requirements were met and finalized the merger approval following a license advisory meeting.
However, the merger was approved with conditions to ensure aviation safety and consumer convenience.
The Ministry explained that its decision took into account the need to periodically monitor whether the plans submitted by Korean Air are being implemented without setbacks, as well as the remaining procedures, such as safety operation system change inspections and the completion of approvals from overseas aviation authorities.
Following this conditional approval, Korean Air will officially launch as the "integrated Korean Air," incorporating Asiana Airlines, on December 17.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.