Korean Job Discussion Forums

[F5Waeg]

Due to:

1- Intolerable Work / Living Conditions

2- Violation of Contract

3- Inability to Cope

Some people pull a runner.

Help define exactly what it means in the Korean context.

[PatrickGHBusan]

It simply means leaving your job and possibly the country without giving proper notice, preferably on payday to minimize your potential losses.

Of the 3 elements you listed, #1 is a good reason no one would dispute, #2 is wide ranging and therefore not always a good reason and #3 is not a good reason at all but is often used as a justification.

[some waygug-in]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awwgJEjLBAs

[F5Waeg]

the last response is awesome.

I can agree with the second in this: how can you commit for at least a year without a clue as to what you're getting into, especially in the age of the internets?

But intolerable work conditions? Prepare to walk and know what you can get away with.

Still looking to broaden the definition. . .

[Ice Tea]

I would say "pulling a runner" is a catch 22 situation faced by many migrant workers of this country. It's brought about by two key factors.

1) The extreme likely-hood that an employer would not pay you your full wages once you give notice.

2) The inadequacy of the local judicial system to properly enforce contracts and its own laws.

If either of these two things we not true, it would not be necessary to "run" or to terminate employment without notice, which, mind you, is a perfectly normal practice in Western countries, and we still get our full wages despite quitting without notice.

[F5Waeg]

[DosEquisXX]

I think people often take the choice to accept these jobs lightly because they know that they can bail without any serious consequences aside from paying for transportation home. They wouldn't be allowed to come back to Korea for a while, but if they are pulling a runner they probably have no desire to come back anyway.

It would just be a short term, failed experiment.

Only acceptable reasons I can see running are #1 and #2 in extreme circumstances (i.e. refusing to pay you).

[F5Waeg]

Good reasons to run definitely exist. But then I read stuff like this.

[Triple007]

Always try to stick it out, worth it in the long run for the money and the fact that you were upholding your contract obligations.

[TheresaTheresa]

[some waygug-in]

That's because they also have the option of firing you before 6 months and sticking you with the tab, so to them they have a way of getting the money back.

[Eglayzer]

The boss has no idea what sort of person you are before he gives you heaps of money to come over here. The employee has no idea what the boss is going to be like when they cancel their entire lives, pack up, and move to a new country. Both of them are taking a risk and its in both of their best interests to get along.

If one party or the other decided its worth it to run the its a failure by both parties, not just the runner. Both parties should have felt each other out a LOT more before committing. I mean, some directors do not even have a phone or video conversation with these people before they invite them over on their dime. Obviously, the money wasn't all that important to them. If the employee runs because they had unrealistic expectations of Korea its their fault for sure and they will bear part of the burden but employers also need to do a better job of making sure that the employee understands what they are getting into. Its both parties responsibility.

[jrwhite82]