Nearly 900 South Korean Air Force Pilots Joined Civilian Airlines Over Past Decade

These pilots are defined as having eight to 17 years of experience and the ability to conduct independent operations and train junior pilots. The departures included 730 fighter pilots, 148 cargo pilots, and 18 rotary-wing pilots. Of those who left, 622 joined Korean Air, the country's flag carrier, while 146 went to Asiana Airlines, the second-largest carrier that has since merged with Korean Air.

Another 103 pilots joined budget carriers. Annually, about 100 pilots departed before the COVID-19 pandemic, dropping to seven in 2021 due to reduced global air traffic, then rising to 47 through March 2026.

A 2025 Air Force survey identified factors such as wage gaps, high risks in military roles, and stress from emergency standbys as reasons for the moves. Skilled pilots from the Air Force Academy served an average of 15.2 years, often leaving shortly after completing mandatory service.

The Air Force requires 15 years of service for academy graduates flying fighter jets or cargo planes, and 10 years for non-graduates. An Air Force official stated that renewed measures are in place to prevent further departures and improve pilot welfare.

The data was submitted in a report to People Power Party Rep. Kang Dae-sik, a member of the parliamentary subcommittee on national defense.