Verified Nov 2026
Other
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Since 1969
Korean Air is an airline headquartered in South Korea, founded in 1969, with an employee band of 10,000 to 50,000. It operates passenger and cargo services from its hub at Incheon International Airport near Seoul and is publicly listed. The company serves the aerospace, automotive, electric-vehicle, and renewable-energy industries. In March 2026 it signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of West Busan for a KRW 200 billion investment in aerospace and drone manufacturing, as reported by the Korea Herald.
Korean Air at a glance
Revenue
17.4B
Employees
10,000-50,000
Founded
1969
Ownership
Publicly traded (KSC: 003490.KS)
Certifications
AS9100 · ISO 14001 · ISO 9001 · Nadcap
Import activity
546
Industries
Automotive
Electric Vehicles
Renewable Energy
Aerospace
Sourcing and import activity
From US customs bill-of-lading records
US sea imports
546
Named foreign suppliers
14
Top origins
South Korea · Japan · Canada · Germany
Shared foreign counterparties do not establish that these companies buy from Korean Air.
What this tells a buyer
Korean Air's most recent reported development is a September 2026 announcement, covered by Reuters, that it finalized an order with Boeing for 103 aircraft.
The company holds AS9100, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and Nadcap certifications, and its Korean Air Cargo unit offers specialized cargo handling.
Korean Air operates a fleet of roughly 150 to 167 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, and it is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance.
Source: US customs bill-of-lading records and public filings · Last verified Nov 05, 2026
STABILITY SIGNALS
Established & strong
57 years in operation (founded 1969).
Publicly listed; no distress event on record.
Holds AS9100, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, Nadcap certification(s) per public sources.
Overview
Korean Air is an airline headquartered in South Korea, founded in 1969, with an employee band of 10,000 to 50,000. It operates passenger and cargo services from its hub at Incheon International Airport near Seoul and is publicly listed. The company serves the aerospace, automotive, electric-vehicle, and renewable-energy industries. In March 2026 it signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of West Busan for a KRW 200 billion investment in aerospace and drone manufacturing, as reported by the Korea Herald.
At a glance
Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
Founded | 1969 |
Employees | 10,000-50,000 |
Revenue | 17.4B |
Ownership | Publicly traded (KSC: 003490.KS) |
Certifications | AS9100 · ISO 14001 · ISO 9001 · Nadcap |
What Korean Air makes
The company holds AS9100, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and Nadcap certifications, and its Korean Air Cargo unit offers specialized cargo handling.
Certifications
Korean Air is associated with the following certifications in public sources. Confirm the certified scope for the specific plant producing your part:
AS9100 — airframer.com
ISO 14001 — airframer.com
ISO 9001 — airframer.com
Nadcap — airframer.com
Trade and customs footprint
Korean Air's most recent reported development is a September 2026 announcement, covered by Reuters, that it finalized an order with Boeing for 103 aircraft. US customs bill-of-lading records list 546 inbound shipments across 14 foreign suppliers, with top origins including South Korea · Japan · Canada · Germany.
Known customers
The counterparties below come from public sources that state the relationship directly. A shared counterparty does not by itself establish a current buying relationship unless the source says so:
Boeing — reported by koreatimes.co.kr
Airbus — reported by engineering.com
Latest developments
2026-09-30 — Aircraft MRO Cluster Takes Shape in Incheon's Yeongjong, with Korean Air to Invest KRW 150 Billion - First-Class Business Newspaper Financial News (fnnews.com)
2026-09-16 — Boeing, Korean Air finalize order for 103 aircraft | Reuters (reuters.com)
2026-03-30 — Korean Air steps up aerospace, drone push with new Busan plant - The Korea Herald (koreaherald.com)
2025-11-24 — Korean Air, Incheon Int'l Airport to build new 176 bln-won maintenance hangar | Yonhap News Agency (yna.co.kr)
2025-09-02 — Swissport International AG - Korean Air partners with Swissport on air cargo at New York JFK (swissport.com)
Company details
Korean Air operates a fleet of roughly 150 to 167 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, and it is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance. Korean Air was founded in 1969, and has an estimated 10,000-50,000 employees. On the LightSource stability read it is rated "Established & strong": 57 years in operation (founded 1969). Publicly listed; no distress event on record. Holds AS9100, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, Nadcap certification(s) per public sources.
Frequently asked questions
What does Korean Air do?
Korean Air is an airline headquartered in South Korea, founded in 1969, with an employee band of 10,000 to 50,000. It operates passenger and cargo services from its hub at Incheon International Airport near Seoul and is publicly listed. The company serves the aerospace, automotive, electric-vehicle, and renewable-energy industries. In March 2026 it signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of West Busan for a KRW 200 billion investment in aerospace and drone manufacturing, as reported by the Korea Herald.
When was Korean Air founded?
Korean Air was founded in 1969.
How big is Korean Air?
Korean Air has an estimated 10,000-50,000 employees, with revenue in the 17.4B range.
Is Korean Air publicly traded?
Publicly traded (KSC: 003490.KS). Public financial figures are drawn from its filings.
What certifications does Korean Air hold?
Korean Air lists AS9100 · ISO 14001 · ISO 9001 · Nadcap on its website. Confirm the certified scope for the specific plant producing your part.
Does Korean Air import from overseas suppliers?
US customs bill-of-lading records show 546 inbound shipments for Korean Air, with top origins including South Korea · Japan · Canada · Germany.
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Last verified Nov 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.
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