Korean Job Discussion Forums

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Notice in the GEPIK contract that it says that even if you own your own house you have to pay the 900k security deposit.

Anybody done that?

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

Yep. I think there is a new clause in this year's contract that requires married couples to both pay the 900k, even though they live in the same house.

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

PGF · Joined: 27 Nov 2006

I thought security deposits were a hagwon scam.... I guess scams in korea spread to gov't operations pretty fast....

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

I remember it for married couples being that they both had to pay. I never noticed it in the 07/08 that if you owned your own house you had to pay. Clearly in the 08/09 though.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Why Squirrel, are you thinking about buying your very own little Waygook studio?

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Nope, just found it interesting that they are forcing people to pay.

Sounds more like a hostage deposit now than it did before.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Think it's just easier (and fairer in their minds) to implement it across board, if you will, for each GIPIK employee. Regardless, you get it back in the end. Anyway, it's not really just a a housing deposit, it's a.......

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I'm surprised more GEPIK'ers don't do a runner with a laptop tucked under their arm.

LostinKSpace · Joined: 17 Feb 2008

I own my home, and have great piece of mind because of it. I was told the 900K was a security against me stealing the laptop, as this had happened at some school before. I believe it is really there to discourage people running out on their contract. Funnily enough my co-workers don't have to pay it and they all have school laptops too, but I guess being foreign means I'm not to be trusted, I mean I don't eat Kimchi with every meal and I have an annoying habit of doing what I say I will do.

The clause sucks, I just look at it as a saving, and so far my school is treating me really well and I guess as I am their first foreign teacher they are just following the contract as it was given to them. I've even had sick days and nothing has been said, other people haven't been as fortunate.

TheChickenLover · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Location: The Chicken Coop

They're lying to you. The 900k deposit is to discourage you from leaving. Forced savings or 'deposits' are illegal in this country.

Refuse to pay it. It is illegal & get the labour board involved if needed. I guarantee you'll see them back off if they try to push this through.

Chicken

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Quiet interesting.

I'm sure last year it wasn't there on the 2007/8 contract. Maybe it was. I think maybe it was if you rented but the 2008/9 specifically mentions if you own property.

icicle · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

that guy · Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Location: long gone

I have my own place and never paid the "deposit" although I did start at this school in 2006 and the contracts have changed since then (not sure of the deposit).

I do have the feeling though that the schools have more control over the contracts than they let on.