Korean Job Discussion Forums

Sucker · Joined: 11 Feb 2003

As part of my graduate studies I intend to survey 200 or so foreign workers who are on the new work permit system or the old industrial trainee system - the workers from South East Asia, China, etc.

Any ideas where they hang out? Churches, resteraunts, that kind of thing.

I would appreciate any help.

peppergirl · Joined: 07 Dec 2003

Immigration?

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

many live in Suwon and Ansan. Start there.

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

Send a PM to DDDstylee. He can probably help you out. There's also some kind of party this Saturday in Hongdae. If you want to meet some of them, I think you should be able to find a few there.

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=25545
There's a link for that gathering.

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

I've never been to there, but you could give this a shot.

http://www.suwon.ne.kr/hongbo/emigrant.htm

What's your thesis?

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

There are a bunch at the church I used to go to, here in Cheonan. But it sounds like you already got a pretty good hook-up. Cool

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

sucker: You need to go to where the work is. There are loads of them in the Songdo area, working on the big "hub of asia" industrial development there. Take the Incheon subway line and get off at the last stop(Dongmak station). I've always noticed plenty of them either riding the subway, or walking around there.
(Unfortunately the very reclamation project they're slaving away on is responsible for concreting over my favorite birdwatching beauty spot.)

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

If your interested, all DDD workers from China have to paye W15,000,000( that's about $13,0000) for their visa to come to Korea and work. That's money that is payble to the Chinese Government, and which then get' s split between the Chinese and and the Korean governments. Many students come to Korea to study Korean, but everyone of them had to paye that sum of money for their entry visa to come too this country. they then paye for their course work on top of that.

Many of the workers who come here from China, spend the most of their working time paying off the loan they had to borrow to get their visa.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Len8 wrote,
"Many of the workers who come here from China, spend the most of their working time paying off the loan they had to borrow to get their visa."

But, they get the reward of experience. They have the opportunity to learn about lack of cooperation and passive attitudes.

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?biid=2004070522448

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

Sorry, man. I just got back from China. Lack of co-operation and passive attitudes abound there as well, if not even more so.

To the OP: Itaewon, Fish Alley, King Club and XO Club. Lots of Pakistanis, Uzbeks, Philipinos and other 3D workers there.

Sucker · Joined: 11 Feb 2003

So far I have tried the direct approach - looking for people who don't look Korean / aren't speaking Korea and just asking them to do the survey.

I spent a day up at the Koyang industrial complex - near Ilsan.

I was a little suprised at how many people reacted with suspision and anger that I would be asking them such questions - but I guess it is understandable.

I made friends with a few people up there and left a stack of the surveys at a few of the small marts up there.

Going to immigration is a good idea, but I am looking for people who have been here for a while and have experience working here.

peppergirl · Joined: 07 Dec 2003

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I used to work at Kwak Yong-il once upon a time, in Daegu, and the director had a floor full of Korean cold-callers to call everything that had a phone number, looking for students. Someone was able to lasso a DDD guy from Bangladesh who was then thrown into my advanced grammar class, and it took me less than 1 minute to realize that he only knew 'hello' and 'yes'. Rolling Eyes

That's profit hogwans for ya. Anyways, I hooked him up with a guy that spoke his native language well and he taught him privately, and gave the bird to Kwaks.

But I never got a chance to ask him much about his job. I was always curious about how he was able to get by.

Does anybody know much about how much these guys make? I heard that some have to bunk up with 3-4 other guys in large closets, and they get 5000Won/hr, but I heard that from someone who tends to speculate a fair bit.

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

My ex from Indonesia lived in a tiny little place with no luxuries beyond a fridge and a one burner portable stove. She lived alone then but ended up moving around staying with friends and coworkers for the 4 or 5 months before moving home. She was getting paid about 1.2 per month but she worked long hours 6 (and sometimes 7) days a week. She says she mansged to save about $20grand US in 4 years.