SEOUL, Sept 16 (Reuters) - SK Innovation Co Ltd shareholders approved the company's proposal to separate its battery business into a new company, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

The decision paves the way for the battery business, a supplier for Ford Motor Co, Hyundai Motor Co and among others, to potentially raise funds and go public to finance its high-cost production capacity expansion.

The unit, which will be launched on Oct. 1, will first become SK Innovation's wholly-owned subsidiary tentatively named "SK Battery Co Ltd."

(Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Joyce Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)