Korean Air’s board of directors and Asiana Airlines’ shareholders have formally approved the merger agreement, finalizing 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 finalized, the two airlines are accelerating operational readiness, focusing on systems integration, joint training, and team engagement ahead of the launch.

About Korean Air

Serving the world for more than 55 years, Korean Air is one of the world’s top 20 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 on five continents with a modern fleet of 166 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees.

Korean Air’s outstanding performance and commitment to the highest level of safety and customer service has widely been recognized. The airline has been granted numerous awards including a 5-star airline rating from Skytrax as well as Airline of the Year from both Air Transport World and Airline Ratings. Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance and has grown into one of the largest transpacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.

Featured image credited to Korean Air