Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kimjoohui]

I am currently in a sticky situation where I am trying to collect on money owed to me by a former employeer (4.7million won in total). The hagwon I was working at ran into some financial troubles and as I was trying to be understanding of the situation, I worked at the school even though they had paid me late and only half the amount for the previous month before the school ended up having to close. (I trusted they would pay me as promised date as they have always paid on time in the past before they hit financial problems.) However, everytime they have since promised to pay the money they owe me, they have failed to do so and it has been almost two months since I stopped working there. I have tried talking to the Korean teacher, the director and my Korean birthfamily to help me, but this has only led to false promises. As I am currently inbetween jobs - possibly have a job to start in March - I am trying to keep things polite as I may need them in the future as a reference. Is there anything I can do/ someone I can contact to get the money? Or have I just been royally screwed over?

[joeteacher]

Saw this guy's add on craigslist: http://seoul.craigslist.co.kr/edu/1547104742.html

Don't have a clue if he's good or not. I'm sure someone will post something that is a bit more reliable.


Stop being polite. It's not your fault these people can't run a business. Get your money. Don't stop bothering them until you get it.

[kimjoohui]

Thanks. I'll check it out. Just been told that I will receive half of my money the week of the 20th... but as they have failed to pay on the date they've promised the last three times, we'll see if that is actually true. Keeping my fingers crossed though!

[themagicbean]

There's a sticky called "how to legally hammer your hagwon boss into submission" about Bongsoon Jung. He's very good and has an English-speaking associate (non-attorney) at the firm too.
Kangnam Labor Law ... they're not even paying me to say that (but they have proved very helpful in the past)

[Young FRANKenstein]

Simply file a small claims lawsuit like I did. I went through the KLAC (Korean Legal Aid Corporation) to do all the paperwork for me, but you don't have to. If you don't speak Korean well enough or have Korean friends who can help, you can also go to a 법무사 which is similar to a paralegal, I guess, and they will fill out all your forms for you.

KLAC is free, but a 법무사 will charge you a few hundred K. Filing yourself is relatively cheap as well. No need for a lawyer at all in small claims, just the cost of filing the documents which comes to around 2% of the total you are suing for.

[kimjoohui]

That's really helpful. I'm hoping that it doesn't come to this, but if I don't get any results by the end of this month, I'm thinking that I will have to.