Hanjin Group Chairman and Korean Air CEO Cho Yang-ho said the airliner's recent joint venture with Delta of the US will be a new stepping stone for the growth of the carrier, which coincides with its 50th anniversary next year. "Through the first dividend in seven years, we contributed to improving shareholder value, but we are still falling short of being fully prepared for various changes in the airline industry," Cho said. "To minimize volatility and contain the impact of those industrial movements, we have to seek growth in quality, not quantity," Cho said. For the first time since 2011, Korean Air shareholders approved a 5 to 6% dividend per share during their meeting last month. The approval came after Korean Air logged some handsome numbers in its earnings last year. Korean Air posted 1.1t won in net profit in 2017, rebounding from a 615.3b won net loss in 2016. The airliner recorded 11.8t won in sales and 956.1b won in operating profit last year. Cho stressed that the joint venture will be a launching pad for the airliner to pursue qualitative growth. <br/>