Korean Air's 'nut rage' heiress to come back

By Nam Hyun-woo

Heather Cho

Former Korean Air Executive Vice President Heather Cho is expected to return to management of the airliner's key affiliate, attempting to leave behind the “nut rage” case that triggered international outrage three years ago.

According to multiple sources, Cho is about to make her comeback to Hanjin Group's hotel business of KAL Hotel Network as a registered director as early as next month.

Korean Air also did not deny the allegation. “Though we have not made any decisions (on Cho's comeback), it is true there is an atmosphere within the company that there would be no major problems on her returning to the group,” a Korean Air official said, “given that more than three years have passed since the case, and she was acquitted by the top court.”

Cho was indicted in January 2015 for ordering a plane bound for Incheon to return to the gate from a taxiing area at John F. Kennedy Airport on Dec. 5, 2014.

The prosecution said Cho forced the plane to return, in order to remove the chief flight attendant as she was disgruntled over first-class cabin service by a junior attendant, who served macadamia nuts in a bag and not on a plate.

Before the incident, Cho led Hanjin Group's hotel and leisure affiliates including KAL Hotel Network and KAL Tour. After she became the target of public outrage, she backed out of management, only retaining her status as a shareholder of Hanjin KAL, the group's holding firm.

She was sentenced to a year in prison, but was released after a few months when an appeals court reduced her sentence to 10 months and suspended it for two years.

Over the following years, Cho mostly stayed under the radar, refraining from making public appearances during the first two years, teaching English to kids in Seoul as a social service.

However, she started to make public appearances this year, appearing as a torchbearer for the PyeongChang Olympic Games, sparking questions about when she will return to the group.

Currently, Hanjin Group's portfolio has three main pillars: Korean Air, low-cost carrier Jin Air and KAL Hotel Network. Since Korean Air is headed by Cho Won-tae, the eldest son of Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, and Jin Air is led by Cho Hyun-min, the youngest daughter of the chairman, Heather Cho will likely return to the hotel business, sources said.

KAL Hotel Network has four hotels under its management, with three of them located on Jeju Island.