Korean Job Discussion Forums

raketbaler · Joined: 14 Apr 2008

I'll try and keep this short.

I worked for a hagwon teaching kindergarten. The boss was an absolute lier and thief. The horror stories that give korean hagwons a bad name were all invented at this hagwon. So, I moved my stuff out over the weekend and on payday I text the owner saying I quit.

Many of the other teachers were either fired or quit. Eitherway the school wouldn't pay them their last paycheck. I got those teachers together and here's what we did:
-teacher A wrote out everything bad that the school does, from not paying last paychecks, no breaks, long hours, school lying about things, ect..
-korean teacher B translated the letter into korean. then a teacher A stuffed those letters into envelopes.
-three teachers then waited for the students to come out of school and then gave the letters to every kid telling them to take it to their parents. we did this for two reason, one because we knew the owner told the parents lies about why we left without saying goodbye to the kids and two, because we would love to see this place closed. Everything in the letter was the truth.

Anyway, I left the country the next day but the other teachers were called in by the police. In fact teacher B has to pay a fine. My question is, what law did we break? Everything in the letter was the truth and we never stepped foot on school property.

ChrisGuy · Joined: 19 Oct 2009

Perhaps without solid proof of everything in the letter the boss could claim that it is slander?

Morally, I think you did the right thing. Kids deserve teachers to stay for longer, and employment laws should be held. Of course, im afraid that I dont know if you really broke the law.

juchangok · Joined: 15 Jan 2009

I was thinking the same thing that it might be considered "slander". Eh who knows. From what you explained here, he deserved it.

Goon-Yang · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Duh

You can be fined/chanrged for hurting his business. It doesn't matter if it's the truth or if you were on his property or not. If you come to Korea again make sure you find out if you're wanted for "questioning".

A lot of Korean laws are basically retarded. Slander/libel laws here do not match what they are back home.

If some drunk guy falls asleep behind your car and you back over him, you are the one at fault.

Same for hitting a pedestrian. Car vs. guy on bike/on foot. Car loses every time.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Please post the name/location of the school and post it in the various blacklist sites on the net.

http://blacklist.tokyojon.com/

http://www.eslblacklist.com/

Goku · Joined: 10 Dec 2008

Yeah it's consider libel.

Libel is against the law. Defamation laws are to prevent anyone from going out and hurting business. If anti-defamation laws DON'T exist then people could easily blackmail others.

For example, the teachers of a hagwon can tell the principal that if he doesn't pay them more, the teachers will tell everyone the hagwon has asbestos. Truth or not, this creates chaos and creates problems for the justice system. Which is why we have anti-defamation laws. We have them back in the States too.

Although, difference is (I'm not entirely sure of this so someone confirm it please) that Korean laws are much more protectionist on the welfare of businesses. They seem to stamp out libel and slander without taking it to court for proof. It's possible that like chrisguy said, if some of what was written isn't true, it's considered libel and therefore teacher B had to pay a fine.

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

Earlier this year, a Korean court ruled that "The truth is a defense against a charge of libel/slander." Of course, they couldn't leave it at that. To be protected from prosecution, the person making the statement in question must ensure the statement meets two criteria:

The statement must be true.
The statement must be "for the betterment of society."

Young FRANKenstein · Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:59 pm Post subject:

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

Gnawbert · Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Location: The Internet

Legal? Most likely not.
Awesome? Definitly!

I wanted to do this to my first school at times but ultimately did not

Manuel_the_Bandito · Joined: 12 Sep 2009

Since you're not in Korea anymore why don't you post the name of the hagwon and the contents of the letter?

Scouse Mouse · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Location: Cloud #9

jon_blaze · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

Libel is the case they gave you. Korea is very protective of the business and not the consumer, which can be seen on how all businesses operate in Korea. So in order for it to not hold any weight in court, you'd have to have some really amazing evidence in order for them to not consider it 'illegal' and even then that's pushing it.

raketbaler · Joined: 14 Apr 2008

Here's an update:

I guess teacher B (who translated the letter into Korean) now has to pay for a lawyer 2.0+ million wan, may have to pay a fine, and is also being sued by the hagwon owner. She thinks everyone involved should help her pay the fine. I don't know why she admitted to being involved. a Foreign teacher who's still at the school told me that the owner wanted to have me arrested for kidnapping!! I don't know how he can make that up. He's that crazy. I guess a lot of Americans are kidnapping Koreans and taking them back to the states. haha.