Korean Air to announce 100 Boeing jet order amid Trump-Lee summit, sources say

Korean Air is expected to announce an order on Monday for about 100 Boeing airplanes, coinciding with the visit of Korean President Lee Jae Myung to Washington, sources told Reuters.

The order, the largest in the Korean air carrier's history, is expected to include a mix of 787s, 777s and 737 Boeing airplanes, the sources said. Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope and Korean Air CEO Cho Won-tae, or Walter Cho, were both attending an event of business leaders with the Korean leader in Washington.

Boeing declined to comment.

Part of the order is to reequip Asiana, one of the sources said, a subsidiary of Korea's largest airline.

In March, Korea's Industry Ministry said Korean Air said would soon finalize a $32.7 billion deal for new Boeing and GE Aerospace engines. Korean Air last year said it would order 20 777-9 and 20 787-10 planes from Boeing, with options for an additional 10 aircraft, and signed a memorandum of understanding in 2024.

Many countries negotiating trade deals with the Trump administration have announced or plan to announce significant Boeing airplane orders. Boeing has won a string of major orders in recent months.

Korean Air, a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, was established in 1969 when state-owned Korean Air Lines was taken over by Korean conglomerate Hanjin Kal.

Reuters