Chairman Cho Won-tae of Hanjin Pushes for Boarding of Charter Flight Supporting Evacuation of Wuhan Residents

Korean Air States "Boarding Decision to Be Made on the Morning of the 30th"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] Cho Won-tae, Chairman of Hanjin Group, is planning to board a charter flight dispatched to Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on the 30th-31st to assist Korean residents staying there.

According to Hanjin Group on the 29th, Korean Air is in discussions with relevant authorities regarding Chairman Cho's boarding. A Korean Air official explained, "The final decision on whether he will board will be confirmed and announced around the morning of the 30th."

The government had previously arranged a charter flight to transport approximately 700 Korean residents back to Korea after the Wuhan area was locked down due to the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia). The charter flight will include a rapid response team led by Lee Tae-ho, the 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, who will oversee situation control at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.

Additionally, Korean Air, which has been the only national carrier operating a regular route between Incheon and Wuhan, will operate the charter flights. Korean Air plans to deploy a total of four flights over the two days of the 30th and 31st using medium to large aircraft such as the B747-400 (approximately 400 seats) and A330-300 (approximately 270 seats).

About 30 Korean Air crew members will board the charter flights, many of whom are volunteers including labor union executives. Industry analysts say that Chairman Cho's initiative to board the Wuhan charter flight, representing the national airline, is closely related to this internal company atmosphere.

Meanwhile, some interpret Chairman Cho's move as an effort to shape internal and external public opinion amid the intensifying management dispute within Hanjin Group. Currently, Chairman Cho is engaged in a fierce management battle with former Korean Air Vice President Cho Hyun-ah and private equity fund KCGI over the reappointment of his position as an inside director of the holding company Hanjin KAL in March.