Korean Job Discussion Forums

[My2Cents]

Last week I was walking around an open market when a lady grabbed my backpack from behind and physically guided me into her store I had visited earlier to look at some hiking pants.

She was talking frantically in Hangeul and I couldn't understand anything. I kept trying to get her to understand that I didn't speak Hangeul and repeatedly asked if I could use her store phone to call someone to help interpret but she refused. Then she made a phone call and said "police."

She wouldn't let me use the phone and wouldn't let me leave the store (grabbing my arm, blocking my way).

I kept pleading with her to use the store phone and finally she allowed me to make a call. I spoke to a tourist office and asked if they could translate.

The lady spoke a long time on the phone and then hung up?

After that, she wouldn't let me use a phone.

Then a policeman showed up, and another and another. Four altogether.

None of them spoke English, only talking to the shop keeper and completely ignoring me. They let the lady control and manipulate the entire conversation. When I would ask to use a phone to call someone for interpretation help, I was told to "shut up!"

The police went into my backpack and took out a used pair of Dockers I was carrying to compare pants sizes.

Prior to leaving, the police took down my I.D. number.

I saw the lady pick up the pants she had showed me earlier when I first visited her store and show them to one of the police officers. The police officer brought the lady up to the front of the store, said something to her and then the lady said flatly "I'm sorry," in Hangeul.

I had to ask several times to get my pants back.

Then the police officer who had been telling me to "shut up" when I would ask to use the phone, told me dismissively, "go home!"

I can only guess the lady for some crazy reason was accusing me of stealing a cheap pair of hiking pants. That rated a phone call and the arrival of four police officers.

There was no translation and the police wouldn't allow me one phone call.

What would you have done?

[tideout]

It sounds like you handled it pretty well to me given the language limitations.

I guess I would have called the head teacher from my public school though I know that would not be an option for everyone.

You might want to follow up (with some help) and make sure you didn't end up in some database or report that's inaccurate.

[My2Cents]

When I kept trying to get the police officer's attention and they wouldn't even look at me, I took out my camera phone. Then they could speak English, "No photos!"

I also started repeating "U.S. Embassy."

That got the attention of the police officer who would tell me to shut up when I would ask to use a phone. He didn't understand at first, then repeated back to me "U.S. Embassy."

[Seoulman69]

It's difficult when you don't understand what they are saying or what is happening. The police were assholes but police are assholes in most countries. The woman thought you stole something but was proven wrong. You got a "sorry" from her which means a lot in Korea, no matter how grudgingly it is given.
Seems like an honest mistake. I'd have phoned my friend to translate for me using my own phone.

[My2Cents]

That's what I first tried to do, but"Murphy's law," my minutes ran out on my pre-pay phone just as I was trying to tell someone to call me back.

[Seoulman69]

[My2Cents]

My guess is that saying "U.S. Embassy" helped to end the situation.

That seemed to get their attention and the situation semed to wind up quickly after that.

[Son Deureo!]

You do understand that the US Embassy wouldn't have done anything to protect you besides give you a list of English-speaking lawyers and send someone to observe your trial to make sure they weren't breaking Korean law, right?

If so, then nice bluff. Consider yourself lucky the cop didn't know that.

All things considered, I'd say you handled the situation as well as you could have. I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been for you. The only thing I'd say you should have done differently would be to pick a Korean who actually knows you to help advocate and interpret for you. An older Korean friend would be ideal, second choice would be your boss.

The only thing I'd suggest you do now is get a phone on a contract so your time can't run out on you in an emergency. I know for a fact that at least LG will give contracts to foreigners here on a work visa. When you have a plan, the rates are also generally much cheaper.

[schwa]

The proprietor saw you put a pair of pants in your bag & leave her store. What do you suppose she assumed? Even with the language barrier, once she mentioned police mightnt you have guessed what was up?

What would I have done? I would have calmly opened my bag & shown her the obviously used pants. (In future, maybe learn your waist size or just try them on?)

Which instead of going on about phonecalls & embassies would have resolved the situation then & there, which is eventually what happened anyway, isnt it?

Am I missing something?

[Modernist]

[PatrickGHBusan]

Modernist and Schwa make good points OP.

The situation may have been stressful considering you do not understand Korean but there could not have been a million reasons why the lady was pulling back into the store.

The Embassy talk was silly as they can do nothing for you and in fact you got lucky the cops did not know any better or let that one go.

Live and learn I guess.

What would I have done?

Stopped, opened my bag and show the lady the used pants....

[12ax7]

Have a friend who speaks Korean call the police station and threaten to sue. The cops were rude to you, and according to Korean law you are able to sue them for compensation.

[Captain Corea]

[fustiancorduroy]

I would have showed the woman the pants. I also would have carried a Korean phrasebook. If you can't speak the language and don't have access to a phone, then you really out to carry a phrasebook. I would have learned more Korean before going shopping.

Don't worry too much about it, but give yourself the tools and language skills to avoid that type of situation in the future.


And hangeul is the Korean writing script, not the Korean language itself. That would be hanguk-mal.

[Julius]