Korean Job Discussion Forums

[justin moffatt]

Previous threads I had mentioned various issues concerning the infringement of civil rights on foreigners (Director of Human Rights Commision of Korea stated we didn't have any) by the Korean government such as:

1) Immigration laws forcing foreigners to be bound to their employer by means of their Visa.

2) Labour laws that favour the Korean employer over the foreigner employee.

3) Citizenship laws which states that any Korean woman who marries a foreigner male and has children in Korea, their children WILL NOT be Korean citizens. (of course, for Korean males who marry foreigner females this law is exempt)

4) Finance legislation prevents foreigners from sending more than 10,000,000 won a year overseas.

The list goes on and on (please feel free to add)

Recently the Korean government has added a new legislative policy that no foreigner can receive an international ATM bank card. This means any foreigner which travels overseas cannot get access to their bank account in Korea. This is being implemented in all banks (including KB). Furthermore, any EXISTING bank accounts which previously had an international ATM card (at the time the account was opened) will also implement this policy, thereby cancelling this card.

When will this blatant discrimination agaisnt foreigners end? It is getting completely ridiculos.

[waynehead]

It's their country, not ours. If it's so bad then leave. I can think of a lot worse things than not having an international ATM card.

[normalcyispasse]

It's GETTING ridiculous? It has been ridiculous for a long time. I'm hoping that the international ATM card thing is bunk, as I will be traveling soon and will be relying on my int'l Nonghyup card. . .

How about hand phones? How many of you were told that you couldn't get cell phone service because you were a foreigner? I was. I still pre-pay.

Korea's great at institutionalized racism. Anyone ever been in a traffic accident or a conflict with a Korean?

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Is that really true about the 10m won limit? If so, then lots of people have been lying about how much they send home every year.

[BuHaoChi]

Individual racism never bothered me because�simple put� everyone�s entitled to their own opinion regardless of how wrong, ignorant, or inane it happens to be.

What bothers me the most about Korea is the institutionalized racism. There�s no point in making a comprehensive list of all the grievances because we could go on and on for days about all the ways in which Korean society can legally scam and discriminate against non-Koreans. I think it�s irresponsible for a government and it�s institutions to be conducting itself this way, especially with all their talk of "globalized Korea," "hub of Asia," etc.

[justin moffatt]

Each bank is in the process of implementing this policy. I was told by KB it was not in effect before leaving Korea, however, when overseas they implemented the policy. Hence, I could not use my international ATM card even though I had confirmation from my bank manager before leaving Korea it could be used.

WAYNEHEAD:

Granted, there are solutions around the international ATM card issue, however, never have I witnessed such blatant discrimination agaisnt non-natives of a country as in Korea. This policy is written confirmaton of this (as trivial as it may seem), let alone the unwritten policies implemented by court systems and police.

[Masta_Don]

[justin moffatt]

On the other hand, one must acknowledge that this country is notorious for lies, deception, and fraud (see other threads), so one must accept their governmental institutions will be no different . . sigh . . . .

[gteacher]

[justin moffatt]

GTEACHER:

I hope what you say is true, I am basing this statement on conversations with numerous previous Immigration officer students (of high ranking authority I may add). However, based on experience with immigration, absolutely no consistency occurs between statements of different immigration officials.

[JZer]

[RACETRAITOR]

Bank tellers, immigration officers, and obviously phone people don't know their stuff very well. Each one you ask will tell you something different. All it takes is luck that you find the one who tells you the right thing.

And there are a hell of a lot worse complaints that could be made by foreigners in this country than cell phones and bank cards. Those people just probably can't afford to spend time online, and certainly wouldn't sign up on an ESL board.

[indytrucks]

If that's true about the bank card thing, I'm going down to my bank first thing tomorrow. I've had an international bank card for about 6 years now, never with any problems. What a pain in the ass.

[gteacher]

[Gwangjuboy]