Korean Air is projected to sustain its positive performance in the upcoming quarter, buoyed by a surge in earnings from its cargo business, as detailed in a report from a security firm and corroborated by industry insiders. Daishin Securities anticipates that Korean Air's cargo revenue will rise in the second quarter due to heightened demand, increased cargo volume, and a recent decline in fuel prices. Despite the April-June period typically representing a low season for airlines, Korean Air is expected to achieve stronger earnings than market consensus, according to a source within the local aviation sector. Analysts at Daishin Securities estimate Korean Air's operating profit for the second quarter to be approximately 500 billion won, surpassing the 463 billion won forecast by local securities analysts. In the first quarter, Korean Air's revenue and operating profit saw respective increases of 20 percent and 5 percent from the prior year. The airline has significantly benefited from the upsurge in air cargo rates during the April-June period, with the quarter's estimated air cargo rate for Korean Air at 479 won per kilogram, 40 won higher than in the first quarter. This increase is projected to boost Korean Air's revenue by 86 billion won. Additionally, the drop in oil prices during this period is expected to positively impact the company's quarterly earnings. Korean Air is also anticipated to report improved cargo earnings fueled by the recent surge in shipping orders from Chinese e-commerce platforms, partially benefiting from global logistics and shipping disruptions stemming from the Suez Canal crisis. Furthermore, the analyst suggests that Korean Air's earnings may further improve in the third and fourth quarters of this year as overall passenger traffic and cargo demand are expected to generally increase in the latter half.