Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dairyairy]

The Seoul city government has been wrong about forcing large stores to close but since they lost the court case they've made it all about Costco and now they've taken it to a new level.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gcswd8rr6U7AKbdz_AVRg_oWoUWA?docId=CNG.3a157aed789648f0334d57b8b9cd82e7.281

[jvalmer]

Is this only a Seoul city thing, or a nationwide thing? Just wondering because Seoul does have a left leaning mayor.

[dairyairy]

[atwood]

One good example of why I was opposed to to the U.S, signing an FTA with Korea. Until Korea's markets are truly open, there's no reason the U.S. shouldn't shut its doors to Korean businesses.

What would be great is if the next time this happens they could identify the vehicles of the Seoul officials, which will more than likely all be illegally parked, and have them all towed. Turn about is fair play.

[Adventurer]

Is what Seoul is doing legal? Imagine if we said that Samsung products can't be sold on Sundays in America. If the other big stores are open, there's no reason why Costco shouldn't be.

[Savant]

I don't think they [Seoul City Council] even have the Korean consumers' support in these actions. Koreans LOVE Costco and a lot of money flows through those stores on a daily basis.

So, fine them but it's small change really for Costco and good for Costco telling the Council to take it and shove it.

Although, I do dislike Costco for only accepting cards from their partners Samsung.

[radcon]

Disgusting behavior. But what is the staus of the law. It was passed at one time but has it been repealed?

[dairyairy]

[dairyairy]

For those who don't know the Seoul Yanjae Costco had the biggest sales of any Costco in the world last year, at an estimated $450 million. That's a lot of pizza and muffins. I've seen lines to the back of the store. Do you know what that means? Koreans love Costco. Many Koreans are buying Costco goods and reselling them at a profit. The Seoul government is in the way of progress. Nobody is stopping this train for petty anti-American politics. Follow the money, in a positive way.

[atwood]

[Stan Rogers]

I think many of you are missing the point. Costco is willfully breaking the law and laughing at the fine imposed on them. Breaking the law and being disrespectful to authority isn't going to result in anything good.

[PEIGUY]

[motiontodismiss]

As much as I liked the mayor, I think he's way over the line on this one. Costco seriously does more good for the community than pretty much Home Plus, Emart and Lotte Mart combined. The employees are paid good wages ( ~8k won an hour.....MUCH better than the other guys). ALL Costco employees are hired as permanent (regular) employees instead of some kind of contract or through some kind of an outsourcing company. They sell products for cheap (on a per-unit basis anyway). And most importantly, it's not just local consumers who shop there. There are tons of BUSINESS OWNERS who shop there too.

Plus closing Costco so that traditional markets don't go bust is ridiculous. Costco shoppers don't shop at traditional markets, and vice versa. And sometimes Costco SUPPLIES traditional market stalls.

That said, I'm going to Costco tomorrow, if only for the hot dog and churros.

[Dodge7]

I don't get it. In Ilsan they are closed every other Sunday. Does the Seoul governing officials want them to be closed EVERY Sunday?

[Stan Rogers]