Asiana Airlines shareholders have approved the merger with Korean Air, removing a key barrier to the long-running combination of South Korea’s two largest carriers. Korean Air’s board also cleared the deal on the same day, putting the integration on track for a combined airline launch on 17 December 2026.
The decisive vote took place at an extraordinary general meeting at Asiana’s headquarters in Seoul, where shareholders backed the transaction by 99.3% on attendance of about 81.9%. Korean Air’s board met separately in Seoul to approve the merger terms. The companies first outlined the acquisition in November 2020 and signed a merger agreement on 14 May 2026 after receiving conditional approval from South Korea’s transport ministry in late June.
Remaining steps include creditor-protection procedures and regulatory filings, alongside operational approvals needed to align the carrier’s air operator certificate and international operating permissions. Korean Air is preparing for the integration as a single flag carrier with a larger fleet and broader network reach, while the Asiana brand is expected to be phased out after completion. Reporting also indicated that Korean Air plans to issue about 20.34 million new shares for the merger, with the new listing targeted for 4 January 2027.