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[garykasparov]

1> http://www.koreaherald.com/
2> National
3> 160 foreigners attend Seoul town meeting

160 foreigners attend Seoul town meeting

Some 160 foreign residents attended the Seoul town meeting yesterday to discuss schooling for expat children, access to public services, policies for immigrants married to Koreans and cross-cultural programs.

The biannual meeting allowed expats to make suggestions and learn about the city's plans for nearly three hours from 1:30 p.m. The topics were chosen based on survey results.

"I learned today that the city is planning to expand international schools," said Jeremy Burks, a director at Dow Corning Korea, who attended the meeting. "As a father of four children, I think the quality of Seoul's international schools falls behind that of other cities like Shanghai because most of them are heavily religion-based."

Inquiries on other issues of interest such as medical insurance, national pension, immigration services, banking, websites and parking were also answered by city officials during a session for general issues and questions.

Vice mayor Kim Heung-kwon and a representative of the Foreign Investors Advisory Council of Seoul attended to make opening remarks. City officials also gave a brief follow-up report on the previous town meeting in April.

The number of foreign residents in Seoul was 175,000 last year, up 35 percent from 2005. The municipal government expects the expat population to reach 300,000 or 3 percent of the city's total population by 2012.

By Kim So-hyun

([email protected])

2007.12.01

[Octavius Hite]

Out of 1 million in the country and held at a time only stay at home diplomat wives could go to.

Sparkling!

[Ilsanman]

And we have to wait 2 years to have another one. Just so we won't be able to go to it again.

[hogwonguy1979]

I was there and there were a number of teachers there (3 others from my univ alone) they really hammered the immigration guy about the e2 reforms, one guy asked why the e1s, f series and others arent being subjected to this. the guy had no answer in fact he didnt say when or what reforms were going through, just that they were still "meeting on it" In fact a woman from the UK Embassy was there asking about that. WHen asked by a guy why this was happening because only a very small minority of e2 holders have done anything bad, his reply was basically "e2 visa holders are scum". A foreign recruiter was there griping about the lack of info and all the lost business this has cost him and he got no answer

regarding the int atm card issue and the new accounts issue. they basically stonewalled a number of people including a guy who runs kotra (or some sort of group like that) who asked about it whats amazing is this has been going on for close to 2 years now so these people knew about it yet.

I also couldnt figure out what the purpose of the foreigner from KAIST who spoke after the break, she almost sounded like an apologist given she has only been here since aug

[garykasparov]

It seems the reporter left some information out.

[hogwonguy1979]

[buymybook]

[Ilsanman]

Only if they pay for advertising on this site.

[Vicissitude]

True, true. Finally, we agree on something.

[mack the knife]

These meetings have always been a real dog and pony show. They've been happening forever, and I don't believe I've seen even one change initiated because of them. They serve the purpose of allowing Koreans to say "See, look! We really do respect our foreign community! It's in the paper, see?"

[hogwonguy1979]

[Vicissitude]

[mindmetoo]

This is usually a yearly event. The english press always carries a summary of concerns. Every year it's always been the same "motorcycles on the side walk, crazy drivers". Usually, people follow up the articles with a letter to the editor noting the general tone of the meetings are usually positive, thanking Seoul for bending over backwards to make our lives easier,

This year lots of major issues seem to be cropping up. Seemingly arbitrary restrictions on foreign residents from getting ATM cards, cell phones, ability to use their ATM card over seas. Korea is taking a huge step backwards. A death by 1,000 cuts and they don't even realize it.

I mean we E2'ers are viewed as scum but there seems to be the view that just as all foreigners are American, all foreigners are E2'ers.

[Ilsanman]

I think issues like crazy drivers are not really useful. The meeting was supposed to be concerns of foreign residents, not things that affect all Koreans.

If I had gone, I would have addressed military service, immigration hassles, general attitudes, citizenship issues, and the like.

[nautilus]