Korean Job Discussion Forums

Mikejelai · Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Location: Seoul

I just read in the paper where a part-time prof down in Gwangju killed himself this week cause he had been offered full-time professor status at two different universities - one for 60 million and the other one (closer to Seoul) for 100 million. According to his suicide note he wanted to bring more attention to this well shameful known Korean secret (professorship for a bribe). Seems to me like he took it a little too personal though, perhaps.

So it got me to wondering: is it really that common here? have any of you (foreigners) ever been asked to buy your job (at your university)? if so, did you refuse, and not get renewed as a result?

GwangjuParents · Joined: 31 Oct 2008

Yes, this goes on, although this practice would not extend to foreigners.

The practice of "bribing" to get a job/promotion in Korea is semi-common, although it's a practice that is slowly dieing out as Korea modernizes.

crescent · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: yes.

Yep.

My GF told me the going rate for a Fine Arts professor at a decent private uni, is 50,000won.

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

crescent · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: yes.

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

Link? I'd love to bring this into a discussion class, especially as I teach mostly uni students.

conrad2 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009

This goes on in private elementary and high schools as well.

crescent · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: yes.

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

Dragoon · Joined: 18 Apr 2010

Paying to work..what a concept.

That always reminds me of the stories of bands in LA during the 80's All of those dudes had to "pay to play"

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

I taught at a university where the Business Dept. was caught up in a scandal involving the selling of full Professor positions.

Japan, Taiwan, Korea - it used to happen a lot in universities but is not as common now from what I've been told.

$50, 000 U.S. could get you from Assistant Professor to full Professor. And surprisingly, deals like that were made not too many years ago. I wasn't told who specifically ended up with the money but I would guess the dept. head got a cut.

flakfizer · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 9:24 pm Post subject:

I don't think I'd pay to be an assistant dead.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Mikejelai · Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Location: Seoul

And I should mention that a friend at HUFS in Seoul recently told me that the Dean of the TESL PhD program there was recently forced to resign her Dean position after getting caught selling professorships and/or admissions into the PhD program.

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul