Korean Air Lines launches hiring campaign for skilled cargo workers

[Photo by Yonhap]

The airline industry has been mired in controversy following Korean Air Lines Co.’s recent decision to hire skilled cargo workers, a move that comes after the sale of Asiana Airlines Inc.’s cargo unit was approved at its recent board meeting.

According to sources from the industry, Korean Air Lines began a recruitment program to hire around 200 new and experienced employees. The hiring process is set to end in March 2024.

Among the hiring areas for skilled roles, job openings at cargo logistics in particular, sparked concerns that the Korean Air Lines is seeking to attract personnel from the Asiana Airlines core workforce, given that the hiring process began when the Asiana Airlines board decided on the sale of its cargo division, which holds around 20 percent of market share in the aviation cargo sector.

In the hiring plan, the company seeks individuals with expertise in logistics data analysis or pricing, and experience in special cargo and logistics terminal management operations.

Even the Asiana Airlines management expressed concerns over the hiring campaign, with a key official saying, “The timing of the hiring campaign is somewhat problematic.”

In response to the controversy, Korean Air Lines said in a statement that the hiring campaign was part of the effort to secure skilled talent necessary for the company to facilitate business recovery in a post-Covid-19 world.