Bye bye, Asiana: Hanjin to merge airline operations under Korean Air, Jin Air brands in 2026, chairman says

Hanjin Group's Chairman Cho Won-tae announced plans for 2026 to integrate aviation and logistics operations, emphasizing safety and proactive strategies amid global challenges as they aim to enhance their global logistics capabilities.

Walter Cho, chairman of Hanjin Group, speaks at the group’s 80th anniversary event at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, on Oct. 23, 2025. [KIM KYOUNG-ROK]

Logistics and airline conglomerate Hanjin Group's chairman said Monday that his company would integrate Korean Air and Asiana Airlines under the Korean Air brand in 2026, while integrating its three budget carriers under the Jin Air brand.

“Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will become an integrated Korean Air,” Hanjin Group chief Walter Cho said in his New Year's message. “Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul will become an integrated Jin Air. By bringing together our air and ground logistics operations, we will become a global logistics group that links Korea and overseas markets seamlessly."

Cho described this year not as a preparation stage but as a period that effectively marks the launch of the integrated airlines.

“For organizations and people who have worked in different cultures for a long time to become one, we need to think in terms of ‘us,’ not ‘you and me,’” he said.

An Asiana Airlines passenger jet taxis at Daegu International Airport in Daegu on Dec. 5, 2025. [NEWS1]

Cho pointed to a shifting global business environment as the backdrop for the merger.

“Regional conflicts are spreading, and demand is already falling amid geopolitical risks and uncertainty over tariff policy,” Cho said. “External indicators such as oil prices and exchange rates also remain unfavorable. As changes come faster, proactive action becomes critical."

Cho said the integrated full-service carrier will operate about 240 aircraft, while the integrated low-cost carrier will operate about 60 aircraft.

“Hanjin is widening its network by expanding integrated logistics services for global e-commerce companies,” Cho said. “Our competitors are no longer in Korea. They are in the global market. Keep identifying key strategic tasks and build a process to meet measurable goals."

Cho also stressed safety as the group’s top priority.

“Safety is a value on which we can never compromise, and it is the starting point of all management activity,” he said. "Safety includes not only aviation safety but also protecting the personal information of customers and employees. All employees need to recognize that they are responsible for information security."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY PARK YOUNG-WOO [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]