Asiana Airlines shareholders overwhelmingly approved the carrier's merger with Korean Air, clearing a final corporate step before Unified Korean Air formally launches on Dec. 17 after a Dec. 16 merger date and required registrations. The resolution passed with 99.3% support from attending shareholders representing 81.9% of voting shares, and Asiana holders will receive 0.2736432 new Korean Air shares per share under a deal that ends Asiana's 38-year standalone history. Korean Air expects network, cargo and procurement synergies from the combination, while management said it is consulting with the Korea Fair Trade Commission, South Korea's antitrust regulator, on mileage program integration and estimates synergies should outweigh integration costs after 2028. The tie-up is also accelerating a broader market restructuring, with Hanjin Group pursuing the merger of Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul into a single low-cost carrier as early as the first quarter of 2027 and rivals including Trinity Air, Air Premia, Parata Air, Jeju Air and Eastar Jet adjusting route and fleet strategies ahead of a more concentrated market.