Cargo venture to start in first half

A joint venture between Korean Air and Sinotrans Air Transportation Development Co Ltd is expected to launch services in the first half to cash in on China's fast-growing cargo market.

The joint venture, Grand Star, will be based at Tianjin Binhai International Airport, said Kim Dae-heui, Korean Air's general manager for cargo in China.

Korean Air, the world's largest commercial cargo airline, first announced plans in 2006 to set up a cargo joint venture with Sinotrans Air, a subsidiary of Sinotrans Ltd, China's biggest logistics company.