Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ewok]

QUOTE:

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

The government will strengthen admission guidelines for foreign students to prevent the entry of unqualified students, many of whom have been working illegally and trading narcotics

END QUOTE

Are there any words to respond to this load of [Mod Edit]?

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/09/117_52207.html

[ewok]

I want to report him to the National Human Rights Commission.

http://www.humanrights.go.kr/english/guide/complaint_01.jsp


who's with me?

[GoldMember]

If by "unqualified student" they mean students who don't study, can't be bothered showing up for class, are lazy and unmotivated, then they have just described the average Korean University student. Deport the lot of them to Dokdo!

[Tundra_Creature]

[Khenan]

[ewok]

are you blind? is there nothing in that first sentence that makes you want to shout: YOU LIE! ?

The rest of the article has nothing to do with the [Mod Edit] allegation made by the biggest biggot of the day, reporter KANG (I [Mod Edit] horses) Shin Woo

[TheUrbanMyth]

How do you know this is a lie? You personally know everyone that comes to Korea as a foreign student and know that none of them are working illegally and trading narcotics?

[asmith]

[ThingsComeAround]

Worst part is, it is yellow journalism like this that Koreans actually read and believe, but even if all of the foreign population decided to boycott the newspaper it would do little to their overall bottom line. But I would choose to boycott it, and save my sanity

Edit:
In other news... a lighter tone to the same story (Korea Times website seems to be down )

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/09/22/200909220048.asp

[mc_jc]

I am not totally sure about the narcotics charges being leveled in the article, but all one really needs to do is peruse through this board to find posts about people who want to work on a student visa.
I, for one, believe that it is up to the government agency to decide who can or can't work.
We now know that the government is starting to crackdown on teachers working part-time, even to the point that they are paying out rewards to those that turn in foreigners who allegedly work side jobs. Some posters, some of whom were very well-known here, were caught, fines and deported for doing side jobs like summer camps, even if it doesn't conflict with their work schedule.
I believe a student should abide by the confines of their visa regulations, if they stray from them, it is their fault- don't pass GO, don't collect $200.
If the government gives them permission to have part time work (which was the case in the past) then the student has the right to make a living as long as they continue to participate in their scholastic program.
I think what makes the reporter come to his conclusion regarding drugs (though I believe wrongly so) is because many foreigners, some from western countries and some from countries in the region, have been caught either trying to bring drugs into Korea through the airport or through the postal system.
I believe that if this is the case that reinforces his assumption, he should provide some examples of students bringing drugs into Korea while on a student visa (or anyone here on this board for that matter).
If he doesn't have solid proof that this is going on, then he/she is just making a blind assumption that will cause locals to make biased judgments on another segment of the foreign community.

[coralreefer_1]

As a foreign student here who takes my classes with quite a few other foreign students, mostly Chinese, I can admit that some of what was said is quite true. (Korea times website does not seem to want to open for me this morning)

There is quite a bit of illegal work going on. In fact my first girlfriend here was another foreign student from China, who at that time was working something like 50 hours a week in a factory until 4am everyday. Ironically she is now illegally teaching English in a VERY well known English hagwon...her former roommate (another chinese girl) was working in a sexy bar, and many of her other friends were also working beyond their allowed 20 hours per week for the visa status in factories or restaurants.

However, most of them do attend school. I cant speak for others, but many of the other foreign students in my classes do attend class..but that is ALL they do. Most of them sit in the very back of the classroom certainly too far away to see anything written on the board or the PPT, and basically just talk among themselves or play on the phone during the class.

Most university classes divide the points for the course up like this...30% mid-term, 30% final exam, 20% attendance, and 20% work (this work entails all of ONLY ONE single report) When I entered the university I asked the admissions department how it was possible that so many students from other countries who studied Korean for only a single semester could successfully pass regular university courses. The answer I got directly from the administrations mouth was that.."As long as they show up for every class,(20%) and in their ONE REPORT,(20%) and score at least 50% on both exams,(15% + 15%) they can finish the course with a 70%..a failing grade being less that 60%.

Many of these universities want to be "global" and are all too proud to boast about their foreign student population, so actually having them work for their degree (not that universities push Korean students any more) would not help their budget as many foreign students came for the degree, and will go to another university where getting that degree is easier.

I am sure some came here with the idea of just getting the visa, then disappearing into Korea to work, but I don't think the vast majority fit into that category. I think it is more likely that many are working illegally, but are doing it for income to survive during their time in university more than they are doing it to send money home to take care of their parents.

I would be willing to bet as this unfolds (if it actually develops into something real) that universities will begin resisting these measures, as we all know, universities are a business. It is a marketing tool for the university to show off its foreign students to attract Korean students (though I cant understand why because most Korean students could not care less about the foreign students or even attempt to interact with them)

[makemehavefun]

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

Key his Matiz

[xingyiman]

The KT is a hotbed of xenophobia and racism. All white foreigner men rape at least 4 korean women by knifepoint but seemingly, never seem to be arrested or deported for said crimes.
All foreign men are AIDS carriers but interestingly pass the initial medical screening exam.
All foreign men use drugs and peddle them to Koreans, which brings up the interesting point of where in fact they MIGHT OBTAIN such drugs.

They also liberally publish articles by such tossers as Dave Theissen and Steve Shertzer because it reinforces the favored stereotype of dumbass foreigner that the KT so loves.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

Crappy KT. And it's made my day to see the server down! Will the hacker please identify him or herself so that I can buy them a beer someday?

Ken:>