Pilots said the hierarchical atmosphere in South Korean firms was also one of the main causes for them to leave.

Pilots said the hierarchical atmosphere in South Korean firms was also one of the main causes for them to leave. "The Chinese airliners respect pilots. It does not interrogate pilots for causing economic losses if the decisions were made for safety," Kim said, adding pilots are also free to speak their minds. Overall, Kim said he is rather satisfied with the new job, adding his children can also get the opportunity to learn Chinese. According to Kim, the number of South Korean pilots working at his company jumped by double digits. Another source said the number of South Korean pilots who left Korean Air came to 122 last year, up from 21 in 2013 and 16 in 2014. Of the 122 pilots, 46 headed to China. The number of pilots quitting No. 2 carrier Asiana Airlines is also on the rise, separate data showed earlier, with the figure coming to 29 during the first seven months of last year. The corresponding numbers for 2013 and 2014 stood at 24 and 31. South Korean pilots reportedly have been facing conflict with employers, mostly due to the wage as well as tight working schedules. Some expect more pilots will leave South Korean firms in the near future, especially amid the deepening tension between pilots and Korean Air surrounding wage negotiations. Korean Air pilots voted yes to go on strike on Feb. 19 as their leaders and company representatives failed to iron out differences on salary and working conditions. Pilots sought a sharp hike in wages for themselves, while the company proposed a 1.9 percent increase, which it said is on a par with the wage growth rate for other non-pilot workers. Amid the deepening tensions, other industry watchers, however, said the exodus of South Korea pilots could also only be temporary. "Within 10 years, the overseas exodus of local pilots will end, as China is also fostering a significant number of their own pilots," said Bang Jang-kyu, a professor of aviation studies at Korea National University of Transportation. "The vast majority of pilots are currently heading only to China." Bang said South Korea is also unlikely to face shortages in pilot supply as local firms can adopt flexible polices like promoting co-pilots earlier than the currently designated period. "Every year, around 500 students graduate from aviation schools. The demand from local airliners stands at around 350. The supply is stable," he added. "Years ago, South Korean manufacturers rushed to move to China. And now, they are coming back. I think the situation will be similar for pilots as well." Concerning the wage gap problem, Bang said both pilots and companies must take flexible approaches. "It is hard to say that South Korean pilots' compensation falls far behind other counterparts," Bang said, adding pilots also should take the companies' business performances into consideration. "Korean Air also should strive to earn true consent from its pilots related to the wage talks," he added. For 2015, Korean Air saw its net loss widen to 703 billion won from the previous year's loss of 457.8 billion won. Its yearly operating income jumped 58.6 percent to 626.6 billion won but sales dropped 3.1 percent to 11.5 trillion won. colin@yna.co.kr (END)