In 1969, Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. was in decline. An offer to privatise the airline by the Hanjin Group, specialists in transportation, was the start of a new chapter in growth and success. Although the challenge was never easy, Korean Air established itself as a respectable company and carrier by opening its transpacific route in 1971 and its first
Seoul-Paris freight route in 1973.
Always looking ahead, the company laid the groundwork for the future when it ordered American Boeing Company's B747 Jumbo in 1972, plus 6 additional Airbus A300 models in its early years.
In 1979, Korean Air launched a new service with direct passenger flights to New York, a gateway to expanding its routes for both passengers and freight throughout the 1980s. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and an aeronautical agreement with China in 1994 opened the skies to exciting new Korean Air route networks.
Korean Air introduced its 100th aircraft in 1995 and displayed consistent growth until the mid 1990s. It was then that new challenges arose, including oversaturation of the aviation industry and increasingly intense competition. Under such circumstances, President Yang Ho Cho, son of founder Choong Hoon Cho, became the Chairman and CEO, bringing his innovative mindset and excellent business sense to the company.
President Yang Ho Cho leads Korean Air according to his father's business philosophy and methods. Under his leadership, Korean Air joined distinguished world carriers such as Delta Air Lines, Air France and Aeroméxico to establish a truly world-class air alliance, SkyTeam.
Reflecting on his father's influence during an interview in 2008, President Yang Ho Cho remarked,
"My father did not imitate the market - he was a pioneer. He didn't waste time trying to make imitations or get involved in competitions. He focused only on building a new business."
The company celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2004 with a celebration and rededication to service by adopting the slogan, "Excellence in Flight." The following year, a new, fresh and future-oriented CI(Corporate Identity) was created as a measure to achieve such vision and mission.
Today, Korean Air is an innovative leader in the global aviation industry known for its dedicated service that surpasses client expectations. It is not only adored by domestic passengers, but
also loved by customers all over the world, and it is soaring to higher levels.