'Nut rage' Cho set to make comeback

Former Korean Air executive Heather Cho /Yonhap

By Kang Aa-young

Heather Cho, who was at the center of the much-ridiculed Korean Air “nut rage” incident, is set to make a comeback to the carrier's top management.

Cho, the eldest child of Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho, resigned as vice president in December 2015 after attacking flight attendants for not serving her nuts on a plate and forcing the plane she was on to return to the gate before takeoff. She was head of the airline's cabin service at the time of the incident.

Cho apologized to the public and served three months in prison, giving up all management roles.

She is expected to join KAL Hotel Network, a subsidiary of Hanjin KAL, as a registered director.

The subsidiary runs the Grand Hyatt Incheon, Jeju KAL Hotel and Seogwipo KAL Hotel.

“It's been said in the company that she might be back at work soon,” an airline official was quoted as saying. “But we are not sure when and how she will return to work.”