New CEO tasked with completing Korean Air's Asiana takeove

Song Bo-young, the new head of Asiana Airlines, is tasked with completing Korean Air's takeover on time, while minimizing potential backlash from employees and shareholders of the formerly cash-strapped airline, industry officials said Sunday. Song took office as CEO of Asiana on Jan. 16 after serving as head of passenger sales and network at Korean Air. The seamless integration of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines is the top priority under Song’s leadership. Last month, Korean Air deployed a team of eight executives specializing in safety, personnel, finance, flight management and maintenance to Asiana Airlines to expedite the nation’s flag carrier's takeover. The move, however, has raised concerns among Asiana employees, as the significant reshuffle of top management increases the likelihood of substantial organizational restructuring at the airline. Under the latest reshuffle, a total of 12 executives from Asiana Airlines left their posts, with those from Korean Air stepping into their roles. This has elevated Asiana employees' fears of restructuring.<br/>