Audio By Carbonatix
US aviation giant Boeing and Korean Air announced a deal on Monday for 103 planes as President Donald Trump presses trading partners to do more business with American firms.
The deal includes 787, 777 and 737 passenger jets, according to a joint statement from the two companies.
The new jets will come at a "pivotal moment" and modernise the South Korean flag carrier's fleet, ensuring it stays competitive as it merges with Asiana Airlines, said Korean Air boss Walter Cho.
The agreement was announced just hours after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met Trump in Washington to discuss the 15% tariffs imposed by the US on the Asian country in July.
The deal was unveiled during a meeting between government representatives and business leaders from the two countries, with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and South Korea's trade minister Kim Jung-kwan in attendance.
Also on Monday, South Korean car giant Hyundai Motor Group announced it is raising its investment in the US from $21bn (£15.6bn) to $26bn.
Shortly after the meeting between Trump and Lee, the company said it plans to set up a new facility in the US that will be able to produce 30,000 robots a year.
Boeing's commercial airplanes chief, Stephanie Pope, hailed Korean Air's order as a "landmark agreement."
It will include 50 Boeing 737-10 passenger planes and 45 long-range jets. Korean Air will also buy eight 777-8 Freighter cargo planes.
The deal would support some 135,000 jobs across the US, said Boeing, which employs more than 170,000 people globally.
With the latest purchase, Korean Air has placed more than 150 orders and commitments for Boeing aircraft this year.
The jet order has been on the cards for some time. In March, Seoul said Korean Air is wrapping up an agreement worth more than $32bn with Boeing and US engine maker GE Aerospace. The deal with GE was also announced on Monday.
Several countries that are negotiating trade agreements with the Trump administration have announced plans to make significant Boeing aircraft orders.
In July, Japan agreed to buy 100 Boeing jets as part of its trade agreement with the US.
Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda agreed to buy 50 Boeing jets as part of a deal to reduce US tariffs on the South East Asian country.
The deals have helped US company's sales overtake those of its European rival, Airbus.
Boeing has been hit by a series of crises in recent years, including two fatal crashes and a dramatic mid-air blowout of a piece of one of its planes.
In 2018, a Boeing 737 crashed after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. A few months later, another 157 people died when a Boeing plane crashed shortly after take-off in Ethiopia.
Separately in 2024, a panel fitted over an unused emergency exit of a Boeing 737 Max came off mid-flight.
Also, last year, an almost eight-week walkout by around 30,000 workers last year dramatically slowed production at the plane maker's US factories.
Latest Stories
-
52 foreign nationals arrested in Northern Region over human trafficking, cybercrime
1 minute -
Kofi Kyereh returns to Freiburg training after almost 3 years out
23 minutes -
US Embassy to launch FIFA Pass visa system for World Cup travelers
24 minutes -
13 sex workers arrested in Tamale made to clean market as a deterrent
39 minutes -
Prof Andrew Owusu unanimously elected to represent Africa on World Olympians Association leadership
2 hours -
GPRTU arrest: ‘Not belonging to a union is not a crime’ – Martin Kpebu
2 hours -
Ibrahim Sulemana completes loan return to Cagliari
2 hours -
Prejudicial remarks against Ofori-Atta shameful, hypocritical – Frank Davies
2 hours -
No law allows GPRTU to arrest drivers over fare disputes – Kennedy Osei Nyarko
2 hours -
Update: Fire at Madina Zongo Junction successfully contained
2 hours -
A Closer Look at a 21-Day Religious Fast
3 hours -
NPP’s Osei Nyarko condemns ‘high-handedness’ in crackdown on driver overcharging
3 hours -
Gwollu, Resistance, and Renewal: The living legacy of the Tanjia Musa Fire Festival
3 hours -
Ofori-Atta isn’t scared of criminal prosecution, he will come at the right time – Frank Davies
3 hours -
Firefighters battle blaze at Madina Market
3 hours
