"Becoming the Most Beloved Airline"... Chairman Cho Won-tae Announces New Corporate Value 'KE Way'

Korean Air Holds 56th Anniversary 'Boarding Day' Event
"KE Way, the Focal Point of the Integrated Airline Journey"
"Gradual Integration with Asiana and Unveiling of New CI"

Korean Air celebrated its 56th anniversary by announcing the 'KE Way,' which encompasses the company's raison d'?tre, vision, and mission, and pledged to leap forward as a global network carrier.

Chairman Cho Won-tae of Hanjin Group is announcing Korean Air's new corporate value system, 'KE Way,' at the 'Boarding Day' held at the headquarters in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by Korean Air

On the 4th, Korean Air held a 'Boarding Day' event at its headquarters in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, to introduce the new corporate value system. The event was attended by over 200 executives and employees, including Chairman Cho Won-tae of Hanjin Group. It was also broadcast live online, allowing domestic and international employees to participate together.

In his anniversary speech, Chairman Cho said, "Before we begin full-scale preparations for the launch of the integrated airline this year, we want to present a new corporate value system," adding, "'KE Way' will be the focal point of our journey toward a common goal and will define Korean Air's identity."

The KE Way is a blueprint completed through the formation of an employee task force (TF) since last year, surveys, internal and external environment analyses, and consultations and cooperation with experts. It embodies the will of all employees to build a sustainable management system with one heart and mind and to advance as a global network carrier.

Korean Air named its highest-level concept of raison d'?tre as "Connecting for a better world." Based on Hanjin Group's founding philosophy of "Transporting for the Nation (輸送報國)," it signifies connecting customers, society, and the world to move toward a better world, befitting its status as Korea's representative national airline and a global airline.

The new vision was set as "To be the world’s most loved airline." This reflects the commitment to securing a global reputation as a trusted and beloved company by fulfilling social responsibilities and achieving customer satisfaction.

The mission to achieve this consists of three parts: "Beyond Excellence" for the highest level of safety management, service, and operations; "Journey Together," a corporate culture that prioritizes customers and colleagues; and "Better Tomorrow," social contributions that expand active exchanges worldwide and contribute to sustainable development.

Core values that employees must embody for the new mission were also established: Professional, Responsible, Caring, Collaborative, Proactive, and Challenging. Korean Air plans to organize and announce the "Employee Code of Conduct KE Code of Conduct (CoC)," a concrete practical guideline, to its employees.

On the day, Chairman Cho communicated openly with employees through a town hall meeting. He reviewed the achievements of the past 56 years and transparently shared the company's direction, including its vision for the future. A Q&A session with employees followed. The meeting lasted about 50 minutes.

Chairman Cho said, "I hope Korean Air will establish itself as the most loved airline through the 'KE Way.'" He emphasized gradual integration centered on employees based on communication for the launch of the integrated Korean Air. He stated, "Organizational culture integration cannot be achieved in a short period. It is a task that requires steady effort from a long-term perspective. Since we are aware of potential difficulties during the integration process with Asiana Airlines, we will proceed gradually, fully considering the sentiments and values of employees from both companies."

He also mentioned the new corporate identity (CI), scheduled to be unveiled on the 11th. Chairman Cho said, "As Korean Air stands at the starting point of its leap as a genuine global network carrier, it is necessary to redefine the values and identity we pursue and strengthen the trust of customers and employees. We will pre-release the new CI reflecting the new brand value and identity, and later, at the time of the integrated Korean Air launch, we will also unveil new uniforms designed to improve work efficiency."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.