Korean Air sisters resign, father apologises for their behaviour
The chairman of Korean Air has appointed a vice chairman from outside his family to run the airline following the resignation of his two daughters.
Chairman Cho has also apologised for the behaviour of his youngest daughter, the airline’s senior vice president Hyun-min, after she allegedly threw water over an official attending a business meeting.
The airline’s unions had called for her to resign after the incident, which is being investigated by police.
Her elder sister, Hyun-ah, was jailed in 2014 after she’d ordered a Korean Air plane to return to its gate at a New York airport because she was angry over the way she had been served nuts in first class.
However, she was appointed president of Korean Air’s hotel affiliate, KAL Hotel Network in March.
Naming Seok Tae-soo, president of parent company Hanjin KAL, as the new vice chairman of Korean Air, chairman Cho said following his daughters’ forced resignations, the company would ‘turn over a new leaf’ with stronger management led by its board.
"As chairman of Korean Air as well as a father, I am terribly sorry for my daughter’s misstep. Everything is my responsibility and fault," he said in a statement.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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