Korean Job Discussion Forums

[writerly]

I have a minor hearing impairment (very minor; I don't have a hearing aid and it doesn't affect me in my daily life) and am on medication for hypothyroidism (the medication works perfectly, and it's a very common condition in North America). Will these "health conditions" bar me from getting a PS job in South Korea?

Some back story:

I just found out that the Ulsan MOE isn't interested in pursuing my application, but they didn't say why. I disclosed the health issues above. Other basic info: I have a Master's degree (not in English), I have some teaching experience (as a TA during my Master's and in numerous workshops, and I have a diploma in university teaching), and I'm a bit older than the early-twenty-somethings they're looking for.

The reason I suspect the rejection was due to health issues is that last month, through a different recruiter, I had applied to the Incheon and Jeolla MOEs, and was rejected from both because of health issues. The recruiter told me that Incheon was concerned about the thyroid, and that while Jeolla was OK with the thyroid, they didn't like "the combination of health issues listed." (I had disclosed more things in the Incheon and Jeolla applications - a minor dust allergy and a potential health issue not yet diagnosed - because I thought you had to disclose every possible thing since they threaten to kick you out of Korea at your own expense if they find out anything later.) At this point a friend now working in Korea told me a story he'd heard about this recruiter not being very good with health issues -- that a woman with diabetes applied through them and was told the same thing, but later she applied to EPIK through another recruiter and was hired. This is why I switched to the other recruiter.

The first recruiter told me (I don't know if this is true) that no MOE in Korea will hire anyone with thyroid issues, except for Jeolla province. Does anyone know if this is true?

(I have not applied to EPIK [long story, related to switching recruiters], but my application is on a wait list in case they re-open applications.)

Edit: Would it be possible for me to get a hagwon job with these health issues? I'd much rather work in a PS, but at this point I'm willing to consider other options.

[minos]

Lie...if they don't check for it on the health test, no one will know.

[yfb]

Keep your health issues, especially any possible mental ones, on a strictly need-to-know basis. In 99% of cases, Korea doesn't need to know.

[HymanKaplan]

[writerly]

I will definitely have to disclose the thyroid, because I'm on medication for that. I think I will explain that it is easily manageable and that I will bring a year's worth of medication with me, to try to ease any doubts they may have.

The first recruiter I was with told me that no MOEs in Korea will hire anyone with thyroid issues, other than Jeolla (which isn't an option now). Does anyone know if this is true?

[writerly]

[marsavalanche]

plenty of people here have lied and gotten jobs

[BankOfRC]

Of course it's an issue.

Most people are not doctors, do not understand your condition nor do they care to. Medical problems= liability as far as they are concerned. There comes a point in life when you need the ability to know when to be honest or not when it comes to pursuing your goals. Why should they hire you over someone who can do the exact same job without said conditions or liability? Like I said, whether it is or not, does not matter, as far as paperwork goes it is.

Just understand, if it is a stable condition and no other problems will arise from it so be it. But , you will be entering a country where language barriers can be an issue with health concerns, especially if you are not near a good university hospital. What medication you are on is no ones but your business. The school, GEPIK, EPIK, whatever won't be able to help you. They aren't doctor's , they are teachers and what medication u are on they don't care to know. It's a simple screening procedure, you aren't hooked up to a polygraph for god sakes and they wont have access to your medical background. That being said, if I ever had concerns about my health, and had good support base or doctors back home, or there was a chance it could flare up, I would not come to Korea. Your health is not worth 20 000 a year .

[writerly]

[BankOfRC]