Korean Job Discussion Forums

coralreefer_1 · Joined: 19 Jan 2009

Some interesting responses so far. I suppose everyone is here for their own reason, and that reason has a certain level of value to it, which is different from person to person.

The folks who have families, children, property or businesses here place a higher value on the defense of the country than many others.

It is true most of us are not citizens, and in some ways treated unfairly by the society. However, in many ways we are treated far better by society than Koreans. I read stories here about being spit on, yelled at for speaking English, and so on. Personally I have never had any such incidents happen to myself like this. I would guess that living in Daegu rather than a more modern and open-minded city like Seoul, I could expect this kind of treatment more frequently..yet I cannot recall a single incident in over 4 years like much of what is written here from time to time.
I am no hero, that is for sure. I think much of the reason I feel the way I do is because I grew up in the martial arts, came from a humble family. I I don't have a family here, and own no property (other than vehicles) or a business. There is just something inside of me that feels that if this country allowed me to come, and I enjoy all that goes along with living in the country, I owe it to Korean and the country to help defend if I could. This is just me.

This does not mean I would be rushing the NK soldiers with a stick and rocks, but it does mean that I would try to find some way to offer my services to either the Koreans or the US, before scrambling to find a way home. It may not be the case for some here, but I did 3 years in military, and am not so out of shape or with disease of disability that I could not participate if allowed. Whether I were just helping to load supplies, actual combat, or just to serve a warm meal to tired and wounded soldiers would be a small way to help the country. Perhaps I would be shipped out of country anyway (cant say I would like the idea of getting on a plane with thousands of missiles flying around) but I guess some don't find it so absurd to fight to protect the life we lead (regardless of location or citizenship)

diver · Joined: 16 Jun 2003

Considering that South Korea has a conscript army, I am willing to bet that those foreigners that want to stay and fight could get a pretty good deal on some K2 rifles. Never been fired and only dropped once.

traxxe · Joined: 21 Feb 2007

Let's be honest. If things got so bad that English teachers needed to fight....

We'd be fighting both South and North Koreans for survival. You don't think the South Koreans in desperate situations wouldn't kill you for your food? Hah. You think they would rally together with you and not rob you of your clothes and blankets for their own sake?

Open your eyes.

If South Koreans ever achieved unification they would treat North Koreans like an untouchable class. I'm sure they would hire the scientists that proved fan death in order to convince the public that the North Korean kimchi was spiked with gene altering flavor that forced the North into having inferior DNA to the true Korean bloodline.

If the country fell apart in war they would not ask us to be defending it. They would be using our women as their camp women and murdering the men for food, clothes, money, anything they could get from us.

Feh.

Fight for this country. Hahaha.

Sleepy in Seoul · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 5:27 pm Post subject:

saw6436 · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon, ROK

My wife and kids are heading to the southern end of Korea this afternoon. I have no love for Korea but I would stay to defend them to the best of my ability. My twins are barely a month old so fleeing is not really an option for me. I've never done military service but I know my way around a variety of firearms (I got my first rifle when I was 10 years old). So, I'd certainly be looking to pick up a piece off of a dead NORK, SK or A soldier.

As a side note. My first house in Korea (Suncheon) housed NORK soldiers during the K-war.

jkelly80 · Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Location: you boys like mexico?

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Since our countries will abandon us anyway. We should form a teacher`s militia. Dave`s Army!

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

Some posts in this thread are crazy. You are a civilian, a foreign one at that. You would be pushed away as an interference by the S. Korean and American militaries. At most, as a civilian, you are collateral damage and/or a potential hostage. The most you could do is tend to wounded soldiers or hide out and take pictures of atrocities to sell to newspapers or publishers. You certainly wouldn't be making Youtube videos either, as the internet would probably be knocked the fk out.

It's nice to think you would do something, but it would be scary shite. I don't think the N Koreans would be flooding infantry into the country. There would be artillery and missile barrages and you would be hunkering in a subway tunnel in Bundang or a cave in the side of a Cheolla-do mountain.

The military, if they were recruiting people off the street, would be snatching fit Korean men. You would be largely ignored and would need to find a boat or plane out as quick as possible or expect to eat canned kimchi and rice in a tent city. The explosions would have you trembling. You would need to find a hospitable ajumma to offer you a blanket.

madhusudan · Joined: 30 Jan 2006

Numbers:

http://www.centurychina.com/history/krwarcost.html

You can clearly see the casualties of every other country added together doesn't even begin to approach the number of American deaths.

diver · Joined: 16 Jun 2003

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

AC Wrote:

iotaphi821 · Joined: 15 May 2009 Location: Currently North Carolina

ESL Milk "Everyday · Joined: 12 Sep 2007

The idea of dying in Korea with two months left on my contract is actually really horrifying. Not even so much because I would be dead, but because I would be dead over 2.1 million won/month.

Then again, my day-to-day life here is already something like a living death-- in many, many ways!

in_seoul_2003 · Joined: 24 Nov 2003

I'm sorry, how on earth would it ever be conceivable that it is any expat's responsibility to navigate their duties between a relationship like this:

"It has clearly been emboldened not only by its accession to the nuclear club, but by the awareness that Seoul will continue providing food and financial support no matter what happens.

This support is not meant to expedite unification, which South Koreans are happy to put off indefinitely. Nor has it much to do with concern for starving children; by now everyone knows where the "humanitarian" aid really goes. No, the desire to help North Korea derives in large part from ideological common ground. South Koreans may chuckle at the personality cult, but they generally agree with Pyongyang that Koreans are a pure-blooded race whose innate goodness has made them the perennial victims of rapacious foreign powers. They share the same tendency to regard Koreans as innocent children on the world stage--and to ascribe evil to foreigners alone. Though the North expresses itself more stridently on such matters, there is no clear ideological divide such as the one that separated West and East Germany. Bonn held its nose when conducting Ostpolitik. Seoul pursues its sunshine policy with respect for Pyongyang."

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009427

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120352922998580335.html?mod=opinion_main_europe_asia

http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/12/28/must-read-br-myers-on-why-south-korea-continues-to-give/