I am not an aviator, but the KAL pilot seemed to have some skills. Evasive maneuver to dodge a missile and an emergency landing with a 707. Pretty impressive.
I think you can assume that any KAL pilot had prior military experience, but I think that this 'engagement' says more about the low-skill of the PVO/Soviet Airforce pilot and the ineffectiveness of Soviet air-to-air heat-seeking missile. I mean how the heck does a 707 break a missile lock? Those 4 engines would have been easily 'visible' to an AIM-9 Sidewinder. How could you miss?