The labor union for pilots at Korean Air Lines gas has sued chairman Cho Yang-ho for defaming and insulting pilots. It is another setback for Cho Yang-ho, who has recently resigned as the organizer of South Korea's 2018 Winter Olympics because he wanted to focus on "urgent matters" with his business group, which includes the struggling Hanjin Shipping carrier.
The labor union for pilots at Korean Air Lines said on May 4: “We filed a suit against Cho Yang-ho, chairman of Korean Air, with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. We also submitted a petition signed by a total of 1,400 pilots (800 from Korean Air and 600 from Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air), which calls for punishing Cho-Yang-ho for ridiculing pilots’ daily work.”
On March 13, Cho posted a comment on his Facebook page, in which he said "Flying is done by autopilot, which is easier than driving a car.” Cho made such a comment in response to an earlier online post written by one of Korean Air's pilots who detailed grueling procedures that he had to go through before entering a cockpit.