Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SherBear]

I have been teaching in Korea for just over two years. I am 4 months into my third contract (second school) and have had to leave the country. On December 23rd my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and I was back home in the U.S. by December 25th. Being so short of a time frame in which it became necessary for me to return home there were a lot of loose ends I was forced to leave behind. My desire is to return to Korea but as things stand with my father there is a strong possibility I will be unable to. That being said, I have two main questions:

1. I have almost 2.5 years of pension to be collecting - how can I collect when I am already in America? I still have my ARC, I still technically have a valid Visa, but I am no longer in the country and no longer teaching. I have spent HOURS online trying to find a solution to no avail, hence why I have turned to Dave's in hopes of finding someone who is knowledgeable.

2. If I find a way to collect the pension and later decide to return to Korea, will there be any problems? As far as I am aware you can collect pension when you are leaving the country at the end of a contract, but you can be re-enrolled in the pension plan if you ever return again.

Any help or guidance in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

[Wildbore]

The school may have cancelled your visa. If not, you could wait for you visa to expire, then you can apply for the pension from your local Social Security office in the US.

Yes you can be re-enrolled.

[SherBear]

[iggyb]

http://english.nps.or.kr/jsppage/english/main.jsp

That is the pension website. Mouse over the headings to locate forms and info sheets describing how to apply for the pension from overseas. I just filled out the forms for applying in country and remember glancing through the info on applying once back home.

Start emailing people/offices: immigration and what not.

I'm not sure you have to wait until the visa is expired to apply for the pension once you've left (emigrated) the country.

You noted you have been looking online for hours. I've been there before. It helps to build up contact info as you go and throw out lines fishing for infor and help. Most will prove fruitless, but it only takes one bite from a knowledgable or authoritative source to break through.

You just have to keep plugging along looking for yourself and sending out emails to places that might be able to help.

I was told by the local Korean consulate where I live I couldn't get the F-series spousal visa because my wife didn't live in Korea. I came on an E series and while waiting for a job to begin threw out a line as an afterthought to an English-speaking lawyer somewhat high up in the immigration department I ran across online, and he did reply and proved very helpful and knowledgeable over an exchange of emails.