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Etched-and-regrown GaN pn-diodes capable of high breakdown voltage (1610 V), low reverse current leakage (1 nA = 6 μA/cm² at 1250 V), excellent forward characteristics (ideality factor 1.6), and low specific on-resistance (1.1 mΩ.cm²) were realized by mitigating plasma etch-related defects at the regrown interface. Epitaxial n-GaN layers grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on free-standing GaN substrates were etched using inductively coupled plasma etching (ICP), and we demonstrate that a slow reactive ion etch (RIE) prior to p-GaN regrowth dramatically increases diode electrical performance compared to wet chemical surface treatments. Etched-and-regrown diodes without a junction termination extension (JTE) were characterized to compare diode performance using the post-ICP RIE method with prior studies of other post-ICP treatments. Then, etched-and-regrown diodes using the post-ICP RIE etch steps prior to regrowth were fabricated with a multi-step JTE to demonstrate kV-class operation.