New Biography Celebrates Cho Yang-ho’s Contributions to Korean Air

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

A new biography titled “Charting New Horizons: the Life and Legacy of Cho Yang-ho,” commemorating the fifth anniversary of his passing, has been published. The book was launched during a memorial ceremony held by Hanjin Group on April 8 in Singal, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, focusing on the former chairman and CEO of Korean Air.

Joining Korean Air in 1974, Yang-ho Cho was a trailblazer in Korea’s aviation and transportation sector, dedicating himself to establishing Korean Air as a global leader in aviation. He provided strategic direction and vision, elevating Korea’s air transport industry and enhancing its global standing in aviation.

The biography, consisting of 10 chapters, delves into Cho’s global perspective, his care for the airline’s employees, his guiding management principles, innovative management strategies for the airline, and his passion for continuous learning and unconventional thinking.

Cho’s steadfast belief in “serving the nation through transportation” enabled Korean Air to overcome numerous challenges, positioning it as a key player in the global airline industry. The biography explores his system-based management philosophy, fostering individual excellence within a supportive framework.

It uncovers previously untold narratives of navigating the 1997 financial crisis, founding SkyTeam, bringing the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games to Korea, and showcases his photography artwork. These anecdotes serve as valuable insights into Korea’s economic and diplomatic history.

The foreword was written by Kyung-shik Sohn, chairman of the Korea Enterprises Federation, who was a long-time friend of Cho. “In the history of global aviation, Chairman Cho stands as a singular figure of expertise and perseverance. He is undoubtedly a once-in-a-century aviation expert,” wrote Sohn. “The steadfast growth of Korean Air and Hanjin Group after his passing serves as a testament to the effectiveness of the robust and meticulously crafted systems he implemented during his lifetime.” Sohn recommended the book for all the anecdotes revealed for the first time. He added, “In these pages, Chairman Cho appears as energetic as he was in life.”

Im-gwang Lee, a former journalist for Forbes Korea and a biographer, penned Cho’s biography after gathering lively accounts of Cho’s life from interviews with Hanjin Group employees and Cho’s acquaintances.

« Back to Page