Korean Air chief in hot seat for boarding charter flight to Wuhan

Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae speaks to reporters before boarding a chartered evacuation flight to Wuhan at Incheon International Airport, Thursday. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Hanjin Group Chairman and Korean Air CEO Cho Won-tae faced criticism for being onboard a chartered flight arranged by the government to bring back Korean citizens from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan, according to industry officials Monday.

Critics called Cho's decision to be on the flight an “overaction” designed to improve his image ahead of an important general meeting of shareholders, as he apparently had no particular role on the aircraft that carried out the evacuation mission.

The government sent two charters Korean Air planes to Wuhan, one each on Thursday and Friday, completing the mission to bring home about 700 nationals from the epicenter of the deadly illness. Cho boarded the first flight.

After the second flight arrived in Seoul, Saturday, Jeong Da-woon, a police official who works in the Korean consulate in Wuhan, wrote on his WeChat Moment, claiming the chartered flights were prepared after relevant officials had gone through a lot of trouble, but “Cho was onboard the flight with two secretaries, adding a spoon to a dinner table that had already been prepared by others. Cho didn't even get off the plane.”

WeChat Moment is similar to Facebook Timeline.

Jeong also told media outlets that there weren't enough seats in business class, which had been reserved for evacuees who were sick, because Cho and other high-ranking officials were occupying them.

Regarding the issue, Korean Air said Cho made preparations on the plane to receive the evacuees, noting that he was not accompanied by secretaries.

“Cho and Korean Air employees were in charge of in-flight work, while foreign ministry officials dealt with the evacuees,” a Korean Air official said. “The company accepted sacrifices when flying the chartered planes. Jeong went too far when saying Cho just added a spoon.”

When announcing Cho's decision to board the plane, the national flag carrier said Cho decided to do so “to take the initiative and set an example as the head of the operator of the charted planes.”

The company also said Cho's decision was to express gratitude to about 30 crew members who volunteered to work on the flight to support the government-led effort in the emergency situation.

But the decision faced skepticism in online communities, with some commentators saying the decision seemed “just a show” aimed at improving negative images about him amid an escalating feud within Hanjin Group's owner family over management control ahead of the shareholders meeting in March.

Later on Monday, Jeong offered an apology to Cho for posting controversial message, saying, “I didn't expect articles about my messages to be published. Korean nationals could return home safely thanks to Korean Air.”