Korean National Airlines (KNA) was the first (commercial cargo and passenger) air carrier in Korea. Established in 1946 and incorporated in 1948 in South Korea, and its first official passenger flight was from Seoul to Pusan on October 30, 1948 (which is now Korea's National Air Day holiday). The carrier was an international carrier – though it was privately owned by its Founding Chairman, Captain Shin Yong-Wook [신용욱].[1]
In late 1961, many Korean industries, including transportation, were nationalized in an effort to spur the country's economic growth. However, Shin Yong-Wook challenged the government's authority to nationalize his company and KNA was taken over in a forced acquisition by the government-run Korean Air Lines (Korean: 대한항공공사) in 1962.
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