Korean Air Senior Exec. VP Suh Yong-won elevated to president of Hanjin Transportation Corp. 

(from left) Cho Won-tae, president & CEO of Hanjin KAL, 

and Korean Air Senior VP Cho Hyun-min. (photos: Korean Air)

Korean Air Senior Exec. VP Suh Yong-won elevated to president of Hanjin Transportation Corp. 

In the personnel change, Korean Air Vice President Cho Hyun-min, the youngest daughter of the senior Han, was also promoted to senior vice president. Korean Air Executive Vice President Cho Hyun-ah, the eldest daughter of the senior Cho, has retained her position. Korean Air Senior Executive Vice President Suh Yong-won was promoted to president of Hanjin Transportation Corp. 

The latest reshuffle is seen as a move to accelerate the group’s accession of management control from the senior Cho to one of his offspring, industry analysts said. It places Korean Air Exec. Vice President Cho Won-tae in a better place to take over the group’s management control since chances are high that he might extend his management engagement to include the shipping business, as Hanjin Group has regained control of the reins of Hanjin Shipping Co. by providing support with cash and recapitalization to bail out the ailing company. 

Air Busan Exec. Vice President Han promoted to president

(from right) Kim Soo-cheon, president & CEO of Asiana Airlines, 

and Air Busan President Han Tae-geun. (photos: Asiana Airlines)

Kumho-Asiana Group carried out a reshuffle, appointing Air Busan President Kim Soo-cheon president & CEO of Asiana Airlines, replacing Yoon Young-doo. The outgoing Asiana Airlines CEO, who has been at the helm of the airline company for five years, has virtually retired as an adviser. 

The group said on Dec. 24 it conducted the reshuffle, promoting 47 executives, including seven executive vice presidents, which took effect on Jan. 1.

Air Busan Executive Vice President Han Tae-geun has been promoted to take the helm at the low-cost air carrier, a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines. 

The outgoing President Yoon was one of those affected by the reshuffle since he served as Asiana Airlines president for five years, which was longer than his predecessors, but the airline denied that he resigned to take responsibility for the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 in San Francisco this past July, group officials said. 

New Asiana Airlines President Kim has been credited for the rapid growth of Air Busan, the low-cost carrier based in the Busan area, which was once deemed the “cemetery of low-cost carriers.”

Kim, a graduate from Seoul National University Chinese Studies Department, is a seasoned veteran versed in the airlines’ operations in Chinese cities, including his stint as the chief of the Guangzhou Branch Office. He was also engaged in duties such as personnel management/labor affairs and passenger services.