$ 9,000 is a lot of money by Korean standard.
I don't think a Korean FO earns $ 9,000 a month as an expat pilot would earn $ 9,000 a month as you already said
Those Korean pilots you are referring to are the ones who are old, a few years before their retirements. The seniority system in wages in Korea is evident here, too.
OZ, for example, pays 1,3-1,7 times more money to foreign pilots than their Korean counterparts , hence a foreign pilot doesn't receive a severance pay when he leaves OZ after the contract. I can well imagine that the situation at KE is similar to OZ.
Originally Posted by
hiflyer66
Yes, you indeed did see expat KE pilots staying at that Hyatt. The Hyatt is the base hotel for expats--many of whom have come over from Singapore Airways. First Officer expat pay on the 747 is about $9,000 US per month--all on contract. All expat crews staying at the Hyatt receive roughly 50% discounts on meals.
Whomever said that expats at KE are paid more than their Korean counterparts is dead wrong. Korean national pilots (almost 100% of whom are ex-ROKAF) at OZ and KE are in the top fifth percentile (according to a recent Korea Times) for all salaried professionals in the country--in the same class as US-educated attorneys and physicians in Korea.