US considering moving against Korean-Asiana merger: report

The US government  is weighing up whether to block Korean Air’s planned acquisition of compatriot carrier Asiana Airlines, according to left-leaning news outlet Politico. Citing “three people with knowledge of the deliberations”, Politico reported on May 18 that the department was considering legal action due its concerns the merger could undermine competition on routes between the US and South Korea, a staunch US ally whose government was a key backer of the proposed merger. Any lawsuit would be the third attempt by the Biden administration to intervene in an attempted airline merger or acquisition and, according to Politico, would be