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Ethnic Korean Teachers Not Screened for Criminal, Drug Record

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/10/117_32169.html

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporters

"South Korea�s visa policy has been accused of favoring ``gyopo�� or ethnic Korean English teachers over other foreign nationals, with this favoritism creating loopholes in the system making it easier for those with criminal and drug records to go undetected. However, the government has indicated it has no immediate plan to change visa rules�.

Kim Tae-soo, an immigration official said, ``It�s our authority and policy to favor ethnic Koreans. We know there might be unqualified ethnic Koreans teaching English here, but you also need to understand there is no 100 percent perfect system. Other European countries also favor to their own people.��


Isn�t racism a wonderful thing.

[Whirlwind]

LOL "reasonable discrimination" And they wonder why nobody wants to come here. All the hassles with the E2 regulations and now the weak won, uh, good luck in finding teachers. I say let the gyopos have the jobs here. Let them get ripped by the shady hagwon owners. It is absolutely 100% discrimation. Imagine if schools in other countries only demanded that Koreans get HIV tests, criminal background checks, etc. The Koreans would be rioting here in Seoul and cutting off their fingers. Yet another reason why Korea will never ever be a chill place.

[Typhoon]

Once again, a racist policy put in place by the Korean gov't. Who is going to come on here to make excuses, and tell us why it is ok that the Korean gov't has racist policies in place. What could the justification be? I am on pins and needles waiting to read what the apologist take will be on this one.

[newton kabiddles]

[pkang0202]

Gyopo's have the F4 visa.

F4 was created to get more overseas Koreans to come back to Korea.

Many Koreans go overseas and they never come back. They may come back for a month or 2 to "visit the motherland", however, they'll never come to Korea to settle down and live.

That is a big problem. So, the government instituted the F4 visa.

BTW, gyopos are not exempt from getting Health checks/criminal background checks with employers. Although Immigration doesn't need them, SMOE, EPIK, GEPIK still wants them.

And, legitimate Hagwons will require them too. Sure, the shady hagwon owner can hire a gyopo with no medical records and no CRC. So what? They can just as easily hire a foreigner on a tourist visa.

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[jvalmer]

Don't really see much of a problem. Try being a foreigner from say China trying to get a visa to the US or Canada. Much harder than getting the E-2. Most countries have visa rules that benefit descendants.

Although, they might have to give their immigration workers better training with their PR skills.
Instead of saying "...also favor to their own people."
maybe... "...our visa rules are inline with numerous other countries in the world."

[jkelly80]

Maybe it indicates the Korean government isn't concerned about appearing racist, because it values these racist beliefs so much.

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[aka Dave]

It's brain drain. It's more pronounced in countries like India and Iran (in L.A. there are tons of Doctors/Dentists from those countries), but it exists in Korea as well.

However, I don't see how it applies to people teaching in Hagwons. These aren't the talented people with advanced degrees you want coming back. It's the highly educated. At least that's my impression.

If I remember correctly, American visa rules have been the basis of political wrangling by ethnic groups. For example, some Irish politicians would try game the system so more Irish could get in. There were also (way back in the late 19th century) some racist provisions blocking Southern and Eastern Europeans.

I'm not sure what the current rules are. But geez, we have 12 million illegal immigrants in the past 10 years. Were that the case in Korea, I hate to imagine the scenario. Martial law maybe.

[jvalmer]

Not racist at all. What make taking a medical and getting a CRC racist? The E-2 and F-4 visas are different visas. The rules are going to be different.

An ethnic Korean who applies for an E-2 has to go through the same procedures as a white Canadian.

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[aphase]

Keep in mind that the F4 visa is not an English teaching visa like the E2. The F4 visa is basically a residency visa, and allows any kind of work. Even though a large number of F4's do teach English, I've met F4's that do different kinds of work, such as own/work in a bar, or work in other businesses. I think it would be silly to require F4 visa holders to have to go through the same process as an E2, especially if they aren't involved in teaching. For the record, I'm half-korean, so I do have an F4, and I do teach. But keep in mind when I apply for teaching jobs, I do have to go through a criminal background check and medical test (for the after school program I work for). The only difference is that my criminal background check is a domestic one.

[pkang0202]

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