Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have formally approved their merger, clearing the way for Korean Air to absorb its rival and complete a deal first launched in November 2020. Asiana shareholders backed the agreement at an extraordinary general meeting on Wednesday, while Korean Air approved the transaction through a board resolution under Korea’s Commercial Act, which allows a small-scale merger structure.
The Asiana vote was heavily weighted in favour of the deal, with 81.86% of shareholders present and 99.3% supporting the merger. The companies now need to complete remaining creditor-protection and administrative steps before registering the transaction on 17 December 2026.
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport had already given conditional approval on 25 June, and the merger securities filing took effect on 24 July. The combined airline is expected to keep the Korean Air name, while the Asiana brand disappears as a separate carrier. The enlarged group is set to form one of the world’s biggest airlines by fleet size.