Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

"According to the table on page 207 of the OECD 2001, Secondary school teachers on the top end of the pay scale in South Korea receive up to $62,135 compared to U.S. teachers who only earn up to $44,394 on average at the higher end of the spectrum. Furthermore, the ratio of a teacher�s salary compared to the nation's GDP per capita is 2.5 times higher in Korea than the United States . Pay per hour is also higher in Korea with teachers receiving $80, while teachers in the United States only receive $38.

The ratio of a teacher's salary divided by a nation�s GPD per capita reflects the salary of teacher compared to that of the average worker. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites the average annual wage as $36,219. Teachers average pay on the higher end in the U.S. is $44,394, therefore higher paid teachers on average are paid 22.57% more than the average worker. The Chosun Ilbo, a premier newspaper in Korea , reports that the average worker earns $16,800. This means that Korean teachers make more than three times that of the average worker."
Source:
Comparing Educational Systems in South Korea and the United States
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/kimeric.356/societies_attitude_toward_education

"For primary education, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Mexico have relatively low salary costs per hour of instruction ($13, $15, and $16, respectively); by contrast, costs are relatively high in Denmark ($48), Germany ($49), South Korea ($62), and Switzerland ($48). Salary costs per primary teaching hour in the United States are in the middle of this range at $35. In South Korea, high costs per teaching hour at the primary level are balanced by a relatively high student/teacher ratio (31.2) and a low proportion of current expenditure on nonteaching staff, resulting in below-average expenditure per student (OECD 2000.)"
Source:
Chapter 1. Elementary and Secondary Education: Teacher Working Conditions. National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02/c1/c1s7.htm#c1s7l3

"In Germany, Ireland, South Korea, and Switzerland, among others, teachers earn at least twice the GDP per capita."
Source:
Virginia Education Association
http://www.veaweteach.org/articles_print.asp?ContentID=324

"The starting salary for primary teachers in Korea is $24,140, marginally behind that for Australia at $25,775. Korean teachers reach $39,921 after 15 years and $66,269 at the top of their scale.... Korea requires less time from its teachers, at 644 hours per year, than does Australia at 893 hours."
Source:
International Comparisons Of Expenditure On Education
by Barry McGaw
http://www.austcolled.com.au/pubs.php?id=538

Teachers in Korea have guaranteed tenure until they reach the mandatory retirement age.
Annual teacher salaries, public schools (with minimum training) (US$)
Starting Salary: 25,177
After 15 years: 42,845
Top of Scale: 68,581
Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers
Country Note: Korea
John Coolahan, Paulo Santiago, Rowena Phair and Akira Ninomiya
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Directorate for Education, Education and Training Policy Division
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/26/49/31690991.pdf

"Teachers' Day is important because it gives students and parents a chance to show their gratitude. It also gives teachers a chance to measure the generosity of the parents."
Source:
Korean Mothers Agonize over Teachers' Day by Hyejin Kim
ohmynews, Published 2006-05-13
http://eng.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?no=291732&rel_no=1

"May 15 is Teacher's Day in South Korea, and to honor their teachers, students will be bring them flowers, write compositions in appreciation of them, and even participate in sports competitions with them. Parents also often give gifts or gratuities to the teacher. According to an article in the Nishinippon Shimbun, surveys indicate that parents spend a minimum of 100,000 won on these gifts (roughly US$100.00), while cash presents can go as high as 30 million won (roughly US$3,000). Instead of cash, reports the paper, it is not unusual for teachers to receive gift certificates, gold bracelets, Western liquor, foreign cosmetics, or nutritional supplements."
Source:
Giving Gifts for Teachers Day
Japundit, Polishing the apple (May 15, 2005)
http://japundit.com/archives/2005/05/15/polishing-the-apple

College Tutors Can Earn 60,000-100,000 Won Per Hour
by Yi-Young Cho and Soo-Jung Shin,
Donga.com (August 03, 2004)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=040000&biid=2004080497078

Have you been paid late in Korea?
Never - I must be lucky! 38% [ 34 ]
Once or twice - no big deal, minor annoyance... 20% [ 18 ]
Several times - hate it! 17% [ 15 ]
Several times - but I understand the culture, doesn't bother me.... 4% [ 4 ]
Many times - sigh... 15% [ 14 ]
WTF! I've never been paid on time! ARGH!!!! 3% [ 3 ]
Total Votes : 88
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=18732

Do Foreigners have Human Rights, in Korea?
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=51789

Late pay... worth the wait?
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=37989

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
by Jae-Dong Yu and Soo-Jung Shin, Donga.com (July 4, 2004)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448

Foreigners Fight Bias
No Foreigners Allowed: Nationality Discrimination Legal in Korea
By Christopher Carpenter and Jane Han
Korea Times (December 12, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/special/200612/kt2006121219555767650.htm

"...you should not expect to be accepted as a member of a Korean's inner circle."
Consular Affairs Bureau, Canadian Embassy
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/pubs/korea-en.asp#Cultural

"Korea is not an egalitarian society traditionally; one is either of a higher or a lower status than other people. Foreigners do not fit neatly into any scheme. They are normally treated graciously as one would a guest, but they may never be able to break into that close, inner circle.... a foreigner will seldom be accepted as part of the inner circle; he will almost always be an outsider looking in."
from the U.S. Citizen Services, U. S. Embassy
http://seoul.usembassy.gov/cultural_pitfalls.html

[babtangee]

60-80 bucks an hour?!?!?! What the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.......!

[laogaiguk]

[richardlang]

[nautilus]

[The_Conservative]

[ChuckECheese]

I was told that Korean public school teacher's salary with 2-3 years of experience is around 1.5 - 1.8 million won. After deductions, it comes out to around 1.3 million +/- .

[jvalmer]

Depends if the teacher works for a private or public school and if the teacher is contract or full-time.

So, new Korean teachers make under 2 million/month. But, they have to pay into the teacher's union and other programs that are not for foreigners. Someone with 20 or so years experience make in the 4 to 5 million range. Also, remember taxes deducted tops out at around 10%.

[Bondrock]

most korean secondary teachers do supplementary classes which are .....ahem (almost mandatory)... in other words they co-erce the students by a veiled threat of a low grade in the regular classes...

supplementary classes usually increase the base salary by 50% and in some cases over 100%.....

[Real Reality]

[Cheonmunka]

My wife's friend is a primary teacher with ten years on the job. Her salary is 2.9 nett.

[Real Reality]

[ghost]

Many thanks for the informative answers (real reality, etc...).

This means Korean teachers do pretty well.

You have to remember that many Korean teachers live at home, or inherit property from their parents, so their disposable income is not far from what foreigners make, plus (and this is a big one) they contribute to their pensions, and when they are about 55 years old they can retire getting about 80% of their income.

However, one has learned that many Korean teachers now find Korea is getting very expensive, hence many retirees seek places in the sun (cheaper) like the Philippines as retirement destinations.

Thanks for the feedback.

Ghost

[4seasons]

When you are comparing salaries with Koreans, don't forget the Chusok and New Year's bonuses they generally get, which sometimes amount to about one month's salary.

There's also discounts at certain vendors such as hospitals or stores, not to mention access to school or school union owned condos etc.

[Bondrock]

Bondrock is still rocking the bond... so he cannot post right now....

what's that?

you almost finished?

whaddya mean you don't give a rat's ass how much K teachers earn??... ghost is waiting....


i apologize for Bondrock's selfish needs....