Korean Air (KE, Seoul Incheon) has been fined KRW2.79 billion won (USD2.57 million) by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) for the 2014 "nut rage" incident, Korea Joongang Daily has reported.

During the incident, Cho Hyun-ah, the carrier's Vice-President and daughter of the CEO and Chairman Cho Yang-ho, ordered a plane to return to the gate at New York JFK over the way macadamia nuts were served in first class. The MOLIT has found that this has undermined the captain's authority. The authorities have also established that the carrier was trying to cover the situation up by submitting false documents and obstructing the investigation.

Cho, as well as another senior executive at Korean Air involved in the situation's cover-up, have also been individually fined KRW1.5 million won each.

The MOLIT has applied additional 50% increase of the amount of the fine due to the likelihood of further abuses of power on the side of the Cho family.

During the incident, Cho had first ordered the aircraft to return to the gate and then forced the chief cabin crew member to leave it after she was served the nuts in a package rather than on a plate, despite the company's procedures which allowed for such a way to serve the snack. This behaviour was later found to be in violation of aviation safety rules by the Korean court, leading to a 12-month prison sentence for Cho of which she served three months.