Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

Today in one of my advanced elementary school classes we were discussing occupations. We took turns thinking of an occupation while others asked yes/no questions about it.

One student picked police officer, and one of the other students asked him if his job was dangerous. He replied no. I said the answer is yes because police officers can get hurt. The whole class told me that "only happens in America."

Now of course they doesn't just mean America, but their point was that police work in Korea isn't dangerous (I asked them "so being a police officer is safe in Korea?" to clarify).

Is this true? I realize the civilian gun ownership rate is low, but doesn't anyone ever try to beat or stab police officers? Even if ordinary citizens never violenty resist arrest, what about protestors? Or gangsters?

[kimchi_pizza]

I don't think so. I've noticed in the Asian countries that I've visited, police are not held in very high regard. Now, the firefighters are really looked-up to and regarded as heros of the utmost moral standards.

[DRAMA OVERKILL]

I think the police box officers, and the guys who ride around all day, have pretty safe jobs - pencil pushers and drivers.

But, the riot police - man, that's some insanely dangerous work (considering that mobs of protesters bring their own weapons and water cannons) .

[4 months left]

For one thing, the police keep their lights flashing at all times in the hopes that if someone is doing something unlawful they will stop and the police will not have to stop and do some work. Not my opinion but many of my students have told me this when I asked them why the cop lights are always on.

[Atavistic]

I went on a date with a Korean guy who described the police officers here as "boyscouts with whistles."

My mother said she was shocked that they all looked 17.

I don't think it's a very dangerous job here.

[anf1984]

There are a lot of misconceptions about police work in general... I'm sure it's dangerous. But much less so than many other jobs that you'd never even think of.... http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/26/pf/jobs_jeopardy/ I remember discussing this in an Ecology class in university.... most dangerous job= crab fisherman.... or that's what I've been told... although this list doesn't agree...

[princess]

[The Perfect Cup of Coffee]

[dogshed]

[Yaya]

Police work in Korea is probably not as dangerous as in the West, but it's by no means a cakewalk, either. Officers have to deal with domestic abuse and drunks, and that means mixing it up with out-of-control guys at times.

Police also have to deal with gangsters and their muscle, and that's not easy, either.

[just another day]