Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the bomb dot com]

I just read Matt Robinson's story. Has it been posted on Dave's yet?

Does anyone know this guy or what the current situation is?

I'm assuming I've just been out of the loop on this one, but if I'm not the only one, here are a few links.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86018939188&ref=nf

http://koreabeat.com/?p=4807

[Yesterday]

I really don't have sympathy..

He taught in Korea briefly during 2007 and 2008 - and was always up to other things (the club scene) instead of full-time teaching...

(I interviewed him for a job at the beginning of 2008 and rejected him - because I could see he only wanted a visa - not a REAL teaching job)...

He was then here (at the club scenes) for the last couple of months on a tourist visa..


Yes - it has been posted and posted on "Korea Beat" - haven't seen it on Daves..

[Draz]

You don't have sympathy because he likes to go out to the clubs? It's not like he has some club-related disease. Working for the weekend isn't a sin against decency either.

[pocariboy73]

This goes to show that nobody should ever travel to a foreign country without travel insurance. And Matt being here for three months without medical insuance was an accident waiting to happen. Very foolish!

Can you imagine how expensive the bill would be in the States if a Korean travelled there without insurance and needed medical attention?
It would be at leat 20x the cost as here.

While I do feel sorry for Matt and the pain he is suffering, luckily he has enough close friends who will help him through this situation. Thank God for that!

[Robot_Teacher]

Yes, there is or was a thread on this. I know you shouldn't travel without insurance, but most 20 something year old's don't think of this or know as I didn't either. I will get insurance to be traveling Egypt, Thailand, Peru, etc. from now on. It's even very risky to be home in the US without.

Going to help out a little using the account info in the blog. It may not be much, but if many of us help as many have, then it will get this young man on his way to recovery and released. Of course I or we don't know everything, but it makes me sick how that HBC hospital is playing a game of hardball with the money, holding him hostage, and even stalled out on providing leg surgery when it was needed like 2 weeks ago. Not only was the original goal of 10m won reached, but 14m was achieved and now they want like 5 more and that doesn't include the surgery as the original 10m did last week to my understanding. The hospital also threatened to kick him out, but yet are holding him hostage for full payment of like 19m won which undoubtedly be in the 20's within mere days. Apparently, the US diplomatic mission does nothing in this day and age for expats outside of passport services. When does it stop? Just get him stable, take the donations, and send him home. Isn't the 14m or whatever amount it's up to now enough for this greedy hospital who basically only housed him for a short period instead of doing surgery to stabilize him? Sheesh, it's only ethical they treat him to be stable as to be able to start healing, accept the donations, and let him go. Smells like corruption at it's finest.

Since they're holding him hostage, why didn't they do the surgery last week to ensure he's OK and going to get well? After all, aren't hospitals for healing instead of prolonging illness on a hostage patient? Since people are trying to help who have come forth to the hospital making rather large payments, why aren't they trying to work with them and the patient in a reasonable manner that makes sense? Least they could do is cut him some slack, operate on his leg to fix the blocked artery issue, give him necessary meds, and send him on his way now that they got more money than originally requested.

Sure this young man loved to party and travel around just as most of us like to do and there's nothing wrong with that and that's no reason to not feel sympathy for him. I wonder how many of us, especially in our 20's, are traveling without health insurance, but partying around on a dime? I bet most of us did as I did too. I did have a bad learning experience in Europe with getting hurt in a foreign country being uninsured, but was lucky to hop out on one leg and go home due to a drop kick attack by a hungry drug addicted African illegal trying to rob me. I was lucky the hospital turned me away instead of holding me hostage when I had a blown knee due to robber attack. They sure could had given or sold me a pair of sticks as that would had been ethical, but they just turned me away with no way to walk. I got one used stick donated and made it out.

It's going to take more than money to set this straight. I'm glad they're going to get the law involved. This is a troubling issue. I'm not demonizing Korea, becuase so many countries will let you die while holding you hostage or at best, they'll turn you away refusing care. It's a tough world out there when it comes to money, especially for the young, broke, and fabulous in red.

[Yesterday]

[thomas pars]

do you honestly believe that if you had insurance from your work and were in SERIOUS medical trouble the hospital, school, insurance companies wouldn't try to screw you out of coverage/proper medical care?

[NightSky]

[Smee]

I gave a little, and I wrote it up on my site. I generally give money when people need it, whether it's a bus fare, or to cover a meal, or chip in when people need it, so I guess that's a weakness of mine. I recognize that Matt should have known better, and that people who are giving now are doing it because they want to help a guy out.

I object to some members of the Facegroup, though, talking about going to the media about how Korea is screwing this guy over, or about how Korea has rigged it so a tourist can't get insurance. Bottom line, the guy had a serious medical condition, chose to come to Korea anyway, chose to be uninsured, and made a number of other decisions that probably weren't good.

[Adjumas Cheekbones]

[Robot_Teacher]

[travelingfool]

[John_ESL_White]

[hubbahubba]

[quote="John_ESL_White"]

[Hyeon Een]