Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Pete the Treat]

The school that I just fled from is certainly not the worst school out there. My experience with the school was not the living nightmare that others have had to face and have rightly given us warning about. There were certain aspects of the working environment that were simply not working for me and I gave my notice. After this, I was asked by the hagwon boss to a meeting one morning. There with him was a former teacher of his who is Korean-American and was to act as interpreter. The following is a brief run-down of the conversation as it unfolded:

Interpreter: "So, I hear you think you can try and leave us?"
Me: "I am leaving."
Interpreter: "Hey, don't shoot me! I'm just the messenger."
Me: "Sure."
Interpreter: "So, I hear that you have a Korean wife. Is that right?"
Me: "That's right."
Interpreter: "Well, I think you should really consider staying. If you don't or if you don't repay Mr. Lee for your flight here to Korea and for the visa run to Japan, a red flag will be put on your visa preventing you from returning to Korea for 7 years."
Me: "You're threatening me?"
Interpreter: "It isn't a threat."
Me: "On what grounds would you be able to do that, as I am doing nothing illegal by my leaving and reparations are not stipulated in my contract?"
Interpreter: "It's business."

Now, I'm still not sure just how grounded in reality their threat was and don't see the point of investigating further. I was close to payday and simply packed up and left the apartment, never to return to work for them, as I am not used to working under threat, never having to before. Is this the worst thing that a hagwon boss could do? No, but it isn't very nice. I would recommend those considering employment in Jinhae avoid Little Campus and Mr. Lee. There are really good schools in this city.

[Real Reality]

The living conditions for foreigners residing in Korea are extremely terrible, which is not compatible with the "globalization era." Overall living conditions, including education, housing, medical care, transportation, immigration, and access to the Internet are pointed to as inconveniences. Not only inconveniences caused by different systems and customs in Korea, but also special discriminating practices, such as the practice of submitting two years of monthly rent in advance like a deposit, which is required of foreigners just because they are foreigners, are ubiquitous.

An official in the International Cooperation Division of Seoul City admitted, "The same complaints regarding visas, transportation, education, and environment are raised every year without being solved, due to the lack of cooperation from government agencies involved and their passive attitudes."
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=040000&biid=2004070522448

[inthewild]

It's all a conspiracy man!

[just because]

[prairieboy]

I wouldn't worry about it. For your boss to go to immigration and go through all of stuff with reporting or falsifying claims that you ran without notice would only bring him under more scrutiny than he may want.

There is a chance he may still report this to immigration, however.

You mentioned in your post that you have a Korean wife...does that also mean you're on an F visa. If so, then he really can't do anything about it as your wife would be your visa sponsor.

Cheers

[prosodic]

The threats were purely intimidation tactics. The only thing that could keep you from getting a work visa in Korea for 7 years is if you were convicted of a crime in Korea.

Hagwon owners have long tried intimidation as a tactic. In the late 80s and early 90s, the story was that they would blackball you by sending a letter to the owners of all major hagwons. The difference between this and what you were told is that blackballing occasionally worked back then. At that time, the majority of hagwons were controlled by a relatively small number of families and most of them honored each other's blacklists of teachers. Nowadays, there are too many small, independently owned hagwons and too many foreigners for a blacklist of teachers to be effective. "What, you'll persuade every hagwon not to hire any foreigner named Joe Smith?" It simply wouldn't be believable. So I guess your hagwon owner has resorted to this lie to try to intimidate you.

You did the right thing by packing up and leaving. I'm sure that you're already employed at a far better school.

[Gollum]

Tell him you\'ll be happy to sit down and settle the dispute with the labor board, and that you\'re making the call right now.

Also, mention that you will be reporting his illegal tax tactics to the proper authorities.

By the way, if you run WITHOUT handing in your alien card, the longest he can screw you for is the rest of your contract length.

[Pete the Treat]

I think what was implied by the Interpreter was that my family life in Korea would be seriously derailed should I choose not to cooperate. After this episode, I don't think I can teach in Korea again, but I certainly want to visit family here when the wife does. I wish I knew where the Interpreter now works, as he has become a hagwon boss in Changwon. Yes, it is a conspiracy, man!

[TheUrbanMyth]

[mindmetoo]

Leaving a hagwon job won't bar you from entry on a tourist visa. What a cracker. Married to a national, you can apply for a spousal visa and work.