Korean Job Discussion Forums

[endo]

Captain Corea,

The business world and laws here in this country are definately more susceptible to dishonesty because of how loosly the laws are interpreted or enforced.

Plus there is a double standard when it comes to the actions of Koreans versus that of foreigners.



I'm not saying that lieing doesn't occur in the West. Of course it does...but the gereral rule of law over there is much more strictly enfoced so that there are much tougher consiquences to lies and deciet.

[Captain Corea]

[endo]

I've been here almost four years and I'm admittedly not an expert about Korea and it's culture. But is some aspects lies can be celebrated or even respected here.

You must surely know of the room salon phenomenom amongst Korean business men and office workers. Many of them married with kids.

I've talked with Korean men who've gone through it and while peer pressure and the hopes of carreer advancement are linked with these trips to the brothels, there's still a huge element of dishonesty assiciated with it.

Prostitution is illegal here.......and morally, having sex with a trick while married is wrong. But it seems to be perfectly acceptable here.






Next we just have to look at the literally thousands of cases where ELS teachers over here in South Korea have been ripped off by their bosses. I personally know at least eight people (including myself) who have been shanked on pension, medical, pay, severence, flight, housing, ect....

It's safe to say that the private ELS industry (and even the public in a much smaller way) is rife with corruption.






Finally, the word cunning that Koreans use to refer to lieing. I've heard its Konglish, is this correct?

I mean, I never here my kids say "you're cheating", instead it's "you're cunning!"

What the helll is that? Cunning denotes a certain amount of intelligence to ones lie and almost gives respect to it.

[Captain Corea]

[endo]

[truthfulchat]

Simply put there are foreign teachers who believe Koreans don't save face, don't hate foreigners, and never try to screw the foreigners.

In relation to saving face, the Korean people do have a nationalistic behavior to lie when it comes to protection of themselves and their country. See in foreign countries (at least the ones where the English teachers are from) can lie but unlike Korea's politics, in our countries if we lie about business practices or legal practices, the media as well as the government is secretly investigating even without us knowing.

As for adultery, it is common practice for Korean man to go to hookers, no one really sees that as a bad thing. In a US Department report, women would not divorce their husbands if they see a hooker because instead of the husband looked upon as a bad person, the woman is because she is the one trying to get a divorce. Not to mention the male is the head of the household and no one is suppose to question his actions. An example would be the last foreign teacher at my school. She married a Korean national and he cheated on her many times. The courts tried to delay her divorce thinking she would change her mind. Her so called Korean friends looked at her as a bad person because she even thought of getting a divorce. The only person on her side was really her lawyer, though he was getting paid to do that. She finally got her divorce but it took her almost a year to get it.

Many Koreans do see foreigners as a threat. Some see foreigners as people who just want to come over and control their country, the phrase "stick their nose in other people's business." It also does not help at least for Americans that US has more bases in Korea than the Korean military itself. Though, I really think Korean people should see the base issue happened during the Korean war, and agreements were made between the US and Korea during that time.

[Captain Corea]

well now, who could argue with that?

[Cedar]

No, and I'm a die-hard Korea Fan! This just makes me laugh, because people are so ignorant. I used to try to correct them all, now I just use it as entertainment.

[Hanson]

[Bramble]

I feel bad having to read so many undesirable threads. How's this for entertainment?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[mj roach]

cedar - agreed

to the new playground at recess wannabe pc monitor with a troll agenda
give it a rest - it's getting real old/real quick (mew mew)

"Yes, but...who's going to mointor the monitors?"

[yingwenlaoshi]

I'm pretty sure getting ripped off by your employer and the lack of assistance by the Korea government overrides reading this forum in the "what p1sses you off about Korea" category. Among other things...

[Julius]

Most people come here on off days, to vent.

but if you're having a good time, then reading dave's would only bring you down.

[nicholas_chiasson]