Korean Job Discussion Forums

[garygoodbloke]

Preface: I have posted this message on other threads, my aim is simple. To recount my experience with an unethical business for the future benefit of others.

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I was booking a trip for my mother and foolishly didn't check eslcafe for a recommendation. So here is my advice:

Don't book with mclubtrvel.com! We booked that company for one person only to have them call the day before and say they couldn't take my mother.

"Why?" my mother asked.
"Oh, we don't go to Panmunjeom" they said.

Being a teacher here and knowing how importat itis to press for facts, clarity and extra information, I decided to call back and get to the bottom of it. I also have a problem when people upset my mum, understandbly.

I asked for clairification and here are a few choice excerpts worth thinking about.

"What nationality are you?" they asked.
"Australian, why does that matter?" I queried.
"Oh, only American and Japanese can go to Panmunjeom."
...
It all sounded very dubious and we all know that vibe you get when you think someone is trying to feed you BS. So I cut to it. "Are you refusing to take my mother because she is the only one booked for the tour?"

A pause, then a hesitation, then a quiet: "Yes".

Then I tore in. Let me say that I understand that businesses need unpopular policies to ensure the sustainability of their enterprise. If they had offered to pay for my mother to book a tour with a different company then I would have been placated. Instead their solution was to go to the sofitel hotel and book there.

I recall using the following words in the ensuing dressing down: unacceptable, unethical, shame, unfair, disappointing. She said she was sorry and I could tell she was but they streamline in so that accountability is divoced from feedback in business, atleast as far as complaints are concerned.

I believe in sticking to commitments in business, regardless of how inconvenient that may be. In hindsight I culd've mentioned I had less trouble visiting North Korea and asked how she felt about that, but that woudn't have been fair.

She apologised and I said "Sorry" is just a word and doesn't make a difference to the situation. I confirmed that she only had one "Solution" and decided ending the conversation conventionally would waste even more seconds of my life so I simply put te receiver down.

After hanging up I called cosmojin travel and the contrast couldn't have been greater. Great phone manner anyway, they seemed to have their act together.

Morals of the story,
1. Don't go with mclubtravel when you can go with other great companies.

2. Mess with my mum and you mess with me.

3. If every poster has recommended USO, then there is probably a good reason for it.
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Please vote on the poll, i am sure there have been a lot of you who have done a tour, if you can remember the company then please participate. If I have missed any companies then let me know.

NOTE: The OP was editted to provide further clarity and detail. My mum reportedhaving a wonderful time that was diminished somewhat by the unnecessarily (IMHO) heavy handed manner of the US guard leading part of the tour. When I visited Panmunjeom from the other side, things were very civil, as long as you didn't ask questions like: "How come everyone is so thin here and yet the President is so fat?" Make of it what you will.

[IncognitoHFX]

Maybe I'm just out of the loop, but what is the point of touring the DMZ anyway? Its just a really big fence.

If I could take a bus through parts of North Korea then, yes, sure, I'd do that. But just along the DMZ? I imagine that'd be pretty boring.

[Okibum]

The tunnel is worth going into. It's amazing to see how close it is to Seoul and how big it is! It's also interesting to see the North Korean soldiers on the other side of the JSA.

[Alyallen]

Went on a tour a few years ago with USO. It was good. I can't come up with one thing wrong with the tour. I was beat by the time it was done, there was so much to see! The tunnel was pretty cool and so was the train station. If I remember right, it's the last train station before entering North Korea.

[Richard Krainium]

[Rapacious Mr. Batstove]

[Yesterday]

[Bibbitybop]

The only USO restriction is that Korean nationals/citizens can't go UNLESS they have a green card for the USA.