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US gov't link to non-natural American deaths in S. Korea

 
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Mikejelai



Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:11 pm    Post subject: US gov't link to non-natural American deaths in S. Korea Reply with quote

http://travel.state.gov/law/family_issues/death/death_600.html?country=0


There seem to be an awful lot of suicides for some reason. Maybe distraught ESL teachers? Returning gyopos? What are your thoughts on this?
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air76



Joined: 13 Nov 2007

PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think that there are a lot....they just get a disproportionate amount of publicity. Think about it....there are 50,000 teachers here (give or take), it's just statistics that a couple would kill themselves every year. In a town of 100,000 people or more back home a suicide every few months wouldn't even make the news.

Don't get me wrong...Korea is generally a depressing place that sucks the life right out of you...but come on over, it isn't bad enough to kill yourself over.
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crossmr



Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul

PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
there are 50,000 teachers here (give or take)

That's a lot of give or take. There are only something like 20,000 E2s this year, E7s and E1s don't remotely approach the same numbers. Gyopos are impossible to track since their visas aren't directly tied to their work.

9 suicides in 2 years is hardly an epidemic. Don't forget though that that isn't 9 out of however many teachers there are, its only the americans. I think of the E2s, americans made up around 11,000. don't know about the other visas.
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Hardy Boy



Joined: 03 Jul 2004
Location: I live in a shoe. Made in B.C., Northern Vancouver Island

PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since I started teaching here

38 Americans have committed suicide or been killed in vehicular accidents,
6 have drowned (Kyungpo Beach in Gangwondo, Deachum Beach near Boryung, Gyeongsan and two in Seoul, presumably the Han River)
2 drug related deaths
2 have been murdered.

I wonder if there are any stats on us Canadians, especially since there have been more of us teaching here over the years.
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air76



Joined: 13 Nov 2007

PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just don't think that these statistics are all that significant....in any town of 25,000 people in any country you have a few suicides a year, and other people killed in accidents (traffic or otherwise) or other situations.

Korea is a perfectly safe place to live...it just gets sensationalized every time a foreigner dies here.
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World Traveler



Joined: 29 May 2009

PostPosted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^^^^^^^^
Maybe, maybe not.

Quote:
Important Note: The information below should not be considered a statistically complete account of U.S. citizen deaths in foreign countries during the reporting period. Only those deaths reported to the Department of State and deaths that can be established as non-natural are included. Most American citizens who die abroad were resident abroad and surviving family members might not inform the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of the death.


Many families whose child dies from suicide disguise it as an accident or illness out of a sense of shame and/or to protect their privacy in this matter. That makes it hard to quantify numbers of suicides. I know this first hand because I lost a family member to suicide. The obituary read: "passed away following a brief illness".
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Smee



Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do

PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It doesn't really get sensationalized, because I don't recall any of those deaths gettingi any media attention. It's remarkable that an American died in a small Jeollanam-do town not too far from us and nobody heard about it.

I have a feeling a lot of those recorded are military, based not only on the location but also on most teachers not being registered with the embassy.
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air76



Joined: 13 Nov 2007

PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smee wrote:
It doesn't really get sensationalized


I should have specified that I meant here, at Dave's ESL.
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manofwar



Joined: 12 May 2004

PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:12 pm    Post subject: lights out Reply with quote

the scary thing how many Koreansa are killed with a cars,buses,and trucks. It's around 40 per day. Now that's scary.
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BringTheRain



Joined: 26 Apr 2010

PostPosted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, this thread is depressing. I couldn't google stats for the number of E2 visa holders in Korea. If anyone has a link, I'd be curious.

Only 20,000 in a country of like 50 million? Wow. No wonder I get stared at so much.
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rickpidero



Joined: 03 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 4:38 am    Post subject: Korea... Reply with quote

Korea has a high suicide rate as it it. It could make sense that some of these are Koreans that are American citizens, gyopo. Born in America, but raised in here.
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Julius



Joined: 27 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

air76 wrote:
I just don't think that these statistics are all that significant....in any town of 25,000 people in any country you have a few suicides a year.


Unusual to have so many suicides without any drugs involved though.
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