Close to 900 pilots from South Korea’s Air Force have left military service over the past decade in pursuit of higher-paying roles with commercial airlines, according to media reports released on Sunday.
Data submitted by the Air Force to a parliamentary sub-committee on national defense showed that 896 “skilled” pilots chose voluntary discharge between 2017 and March 2026, as reported by Seoul-based Yonhap News.
The Air Force classifies skilled pilots as personnel with eight to 17 years of experience, capable of independently carrying out missions as well as training junior and lower-ranking pilots.
Among those who exited the service were 730 fighter pilots, 148 cargo pilots, and 18 rotary-wing pilots.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 100 pilots were leaving the Air Force each year to join the civilian aviation sector.
However, in 2021, only seven pilots made the switch as global air travel declined sharply.
To curb the outflow, the Air Force enforces mandatory service commitments, requiring 15 years of duty for Air Force Academy graduates operating fighter jets or cargo aircraft, and 10 years for pilots who did not attend the academy.
Findings from a 2025 survey pointed to disparities in pay between military and commercial pilots, along with the inherent risks of military service and the strain of constant emergency standby duties, as key reasons behind the shift to civilian careers.
An Air Force official noted that new measures have been introduced to help stem further losses of experienced pilots.
