Korean Air has begun construction for a new engine MRO facility in Unbuk, near Seoul’s Incheon airport, with operations expected to commence in 2027. 

The 140,000sq m (1,507,000sq ft) facility, which Korean Air says is the largest engine maintenance plant in Asia, will see the consolidation of all engine MRO capabilities into a single cluster.

Korean Air currently has an engine test cell at Unbuk, but performs MRO work at Bucheon, which is located in between Seoul and the airport. 

[Photo] Korean Air-new engine maintenance cluster in 2027

Source: Korean Air

Korean Air will open a new engine maintenance facility. in 2027

“The engine maintenance cluster will streamline this process with a strategic consolidation, enhancing operational efficiency by bringing all phases of engine maintenance to a single, centralised site,” the airline states. 

The decision to consolidate into a single facility also comes as Korean Air looks to triple its engine MRO workload – from servicing 100 engines to 360 annually – and expand its maintenance capabilities. 

The airline currently conducts MRO work on six engine models, including the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and CFM International CFM56. 

With the expansion, Korean Air is looking to add three more engine types, such as the GE Aerospace GEnx engines which power Boeing 787-family aircraft, and CFM Leap-1B engines for the 737 Max. 

“The airline is also exploring the possibility of servicing Asiana Airlines’ engines, including the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB used on the Airbus A350,” it adds. Korean is in the process of acquiring A350 operator Asiana Airlines and is hoping to complete the merger this year. 

The carrier also notes that the new facility will generate more than 1,000 new jobs, which it believes will “bolster the domestic aviation MRO industry’s competitiveness and reduce dependence on international maintenance services”. 

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