Korean Job Discussion Forums

nathanksimpson · Joined: 26 Feb 2008

Removed by Author

Roch · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

Report to the police at once the hogwon owner's refusal to return your Degree to you! After that, go to the labour office in your Gu and make a formal complaint.

Please give us an update after you've done these two steps!

Good luck!

Roch

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

"Give me my fucking diploma."

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

How much is your diploma worth to you?

There are options which are available to cover the diploma requirement that would allow you to get a new job without it. If you look on the Korean immigration website you will see what they are.

Maybe tell them that you do not need the diploma to get a new job but if they don't give it back to you immediately you will not continue to work for them. (And be prepared to see it through if you do that ... And maybe losing the money you would lose by taking that option - is worth it to you to be away from the stress of working there .... ).

The truth is that a potential new employer can apply in country for verification of your degree so them holding it hostage does not actually have the impact your current employer and you think that it does.

reimund · Joined: 01 Oct 2007

Isn't it possible to re-order the diploma from your university, anyway? Sucks that it might cost you some money, but I don't think this problem is that bad.

Khyron · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Location: Japan

...and those criminal (this is exactly what many of them are!) hagwon owners wonder why so many people pull midnight runners...

Listen, they are trying to screw you out of your money and your freedom. On your next payday, just leave. Come to Japan and get work here. The the problems you're describing are way too common in Korea, but few and far between in Japan. There's a lot more peace of mind in the land of the rising sun than in the land of the morning calm.

It's not so calm, is it...?

AussieGav · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Location: Uijeongbu

Korean Labor dept may be interested and that will scare the shit out of the owner. good luck

Roch · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:47 am Post subject:

I told the hagwon director that this diploma means a lot to me as I take pride in looking at it every day when I get off work since it require 5 years of intense study, $40,000 of student loan debt, and allowed me to travel halfway around the world to get such a great job teaching for your hagwon in Korea.

This worked right on the spot. She immediately got it out of her lock box, but showed non-verbal expressions that she didn't want to. She had to or I would had been lost at sea and she'd lost her investment and then some.

If this doesn't work for you, then you can threaten to quit, tell her she will lose money and possibly the whole business, and tell her it only costs $10 to get a new one from your university that allows you to get another job, but the original sure carries sentimental value and it would be heartless for you to just take that from me. If she still hesitates, tell her, "I would hate Korea and pass bad words on for the rest of my life if you do such a thing like that."

Hammer that corrupt lying hagwon director with kindness, but direct and concise assertiveness. That was my strategy last year and it worked. It was a hard business relationship, but I followed through and completed the contract.

Remember, she knows or cares nothing about teaching and is only about money and business and will take any short cuts to realize profit. She's an executive.