There is something that hasn't been said yet, that I feel SHOULD be said.
A visual circuit is a BASIC flying skill - the fact that was at night makes little difference to a pilot who has been checked out as a 747 (or any other aircraft) Captain.
As
choyo states
Keep the autopilot and autothrottle coupled until turning finals.
....this is another basic, safe, aircraft/flight management skill that one would expect a B744 (or any other aircraft) Captain possessed.
I would add to this that regardless of it being a "visual", ALL available resources should be utilised, and that includes having at least one side - the PF's or the PNF's - display the ILS, to monitor tracking (vert & horiz) when approaching finals.
So wtf WAS the First Officer doing all this time?
Where was the back-up, the monitoring, the callouts?
I assume KA has a "500' - stabilised" call?
Did the F/O also
not realise that at 500' the aircraft was
NOT established in a position from which a
SAFE landing was ASSURED??!!
Errors in judgement occur, but most airlines have many "checks and balances" built into their SOP's to catch them before they can bight back.
Is there a systemic problem in KAL that
prevents these "checks and balances" from working as they should?