‘Nut rage’ heiress accuses brother of disobeying father’s will

SEOUL: A South Korean heiress, known for delaying a Korean Air Lines flight in 2014 because she was angry at the way she was served nuts, has accused her younger brother of disobeying their late father’s will to manage the airline’s parent company together.

Heather Cho, a former Korean Air Lines executive whose “nut rage” incident made international headlines, said her younger brother was ignoring the wishes of their father, late chairman Cho Yang-ho, for “harmony” in the family’s management of Korean Air parent Hanjin Group.

Brother Cho Won-tae, who was named chairman of Hanjin Group in April and is also chief executive officer of Korean Air, had been making management decisions without prior consultations, according to a statement issued by Heather

Cho’s lawyers yesterday.

“Without real consent and enough discussions among inheritors, Cho Won-tae was appointed to represent Hanjin Group,” it said.

“The late chairman had asked the family to lead Hanjin Group with harmony ... yet chairman Cho Wontae has been making management decisions not aligned with (the late chairman’s) will, and is still being insincere when it comes to family discussions regarding the management of the group.”

The statement added that Heather “intends to listen to the views of various shareholders and hold consultations with them to actively pursue Hanjin Group’s development in accordance with the late chairman’s will”.

Analysts said the statement raised the possibility that Heather could try to join hands with other investors to raise their stakes in group holding company Hanjin Kal.

Hanjin Kal shares soared 20% yesterday, while the broader Korean market closed flat.

Korean Air and budget affiliate Jin Air also rose over 4%.

Won-tae, Heather and younger sister Emily Cho hold 6.46%, 6.43% and 6.42% of Hanjin Kal shares respectively.