Kris,
Yes, they were. I believe expats came in before or during that, and became a requirement for a period of time but that’s now gone.
The number one issue today is the horrific level of English of the local crews at KAL. Constant mistakes and misunderstanding of and with ATC. It’s generated a so many minor incidents but has yet to be addressed or even acknowledged by KAL. That’s the issue to watch for. If you know any American ATC folks, just ask them.
As for other standards, I personally believe it all comes down to the unbelievable capability of the aircraft we fly these days. The safety systems and reliability, save a lot of bad pilots from themselves, imo.
Does KAL need the expats? Maybe not, in a few years. But today, KAL is massively short of current and type rated pilots and their culture won’t allow a return of the China dropouts. Only time will tell, now.