Korean Job Discussion Forums

[peppermint]

You're all talking about how well the Kyopos from western countries are treated here, and I kind of disagree. I'm sure they get treated like everyone else ( wether that's good or not is debateable) if they speak fluent Korean, but what about the ones that don't speak Korean well?

I know of some who came here and got paid lower wages than their white co workers, and I've seen them get treated like retards when they try to take Korean lessons here.

[Yaya]

[Yaya]

[Sucker]

Most (all?) Korean-Chinese grow up speaking Korean. After living in South Korea for a while they pretty much loose any telltale accent.

You guys are being very selective in your arguments.

[Yaya]

I don't know much about Korean-Chinese, but I DO know that both Korean-Chinese and Korean-Russians qualify for the F-1 visa, which is basically like the F-4 visa except one year shorter (but renewable).

[Sucker]

To Yaya -

Here is part of an article from Kyunghee Uni. I can post or pm the whole article or others if you would like.

[Real Reality]

From personal experience it appears that most Koreans have not taken the time nor had the opportunity to know any Americans, Korean or otherwise, and that their views on any race, let alone "American" (who stereotypically are WHITE, never Asian like myself*), are a result of cultural ignorance. A close Korean-American friend, who considers himself more Korean than American, once described Korea as having a "victim mentality." Koreans cry foul at any oppportunity, leaving most situations muddled with overly emotional sentiment rather than the clarity of cool-headed logic.
*Having taught English conversation, there have been too many students that have withdrawn from this writer's class simply because of the color of their instructor's skin. This Korean-American has personally experienced the deep discrimination/racism of Korea, and it is painful.
Chosun Ilbo
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200212/200212250002.html

[Len8]

The cost for a visa to work or study in Korea for someone coming from China is about W15,000,000. That fee is not paid to brokers. It's payabale to the Chinese government. We have a lot of students studying Korean where I work and they have told me as much. The Korean government has no problem with Chinese people coming to work or study, but they have been forced to impose the high fees by the Chinese government. Once recieved, of the W15,000,000, half is kept by the korean immigration office and the other half is given to the Chinese Government.

If a Chinese student wants to study in Canada, he or she is required to paye a fee of around W20,000,000 which is in turn divided between the Chinese government and the canadian government.

the fact that korea, canada and other western countries are willing to go along with this practice is quite amazing. methinks the Chinese government are forcing the issue and are able to do so because of the many trade benefits to be lost from not complying

[Len8]

Yaya those Korean canadians, korean australians and others that are working here have good jobs. They wouldn't be here otherwise of course, but there jobs allow them to live the life style they might, could or would have had in their own countries. they don't mix with your basic run of the mill Koreans that they would have to if they were doing something else. who do they fraternise with , and why. I'm sure they relax with other foreigeners or kyopos, because that's who they have things in common with. They probably also commute 2 or more times a year to their home countries either through their jobs or because they can afford it. If they were e not able to do this they probably wouldn't have accepted their jobs. SHHEESH. So basically the're all living here as though they were living in their own countries with as little to do with their blood brothers as possible. if they were to go and fraternise on the streets with Koreans on their day to day goings on what do you thing would happen? They would probably be treated with suspicion, but politely so. could they just go into a tallun chu chom and other places of relaxion in Korea and mix normally without making the others feel a little uncomfortable. Not a prayer. They are going to have to try and make the mood better for everyone so that they all can relax, and then they aint going to relax because they are too stressed out from having put everyone else at ease.

So aint they here just for the money?

[Sucker]

Well, while that is true, it does not mean that brokers do not pray off of Chinese Koreans and their desire to come to Korea.

What if such an individual didn't have the 15 million to pay for the visa? They can pay a much lesser amount to an (illegal) broker to be smuggled into the country.

[Len8]

Sucker. I don't know about that, but they still have to have the correct visa on their passport to get entry. Immigration officials here have a lot of experience though with sniffing out forged visa's.

I know you are doing a research paper on this subject, and I am particularly interested in the visa requirements, so if there is any more information you learn of, please post

[Yaya]

[Real Reality]

Korea is ranked highest in the world in
A. Graduates that received university degrees or higher in science and engineering,
B. Shipbuilding volume, and
C. Sales of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200409/kt2004093016165511860.htm

[Len8]

This was in the Korean Herald To-Day 30th September


More students going abroad to improve education, job prospects

From grade-schoolers to degree holders, South Korean students nowadays are traveling many thousands of kilometers to just about every corner of the world.
Korean students can be found everywhere, literally. Officials at the Education Ministry said Koreans of varying ages were studying in some 75 nations around the globe, from the Americas to remote African regions, and that their number surpassed 170,000 at the end of last year.

That figure is rising inexorably as more Koreans turn to schools overseas, causing concern among analysts here as many remain abroad after completing their studies while only a percentage of that influx of students return home to contribute their knowledge to motherland and in the long run, the country may possibly lose "high-end intellects" to overseas competitors.

Corporate lawyer Choi Jun-ho, wouldn't consider moving back to Korea even when he was given a good offer here. Having been a foreign student for most of his junior high to high school years in the United States, 29-year-old Choi finished off college and law school there and also passed the bar exam in the state of California.

He was recruited by two firms - one in Japan and the other at home, in Korea -- but without thinking twice he took the foreign job.

"I know the going price in Korea for a corporate lawyer is high but I'd rather be abroad to expand my career elsewhere," Choi told The Korea Herald.

Asked if he considers ever returning to work here, he said, "I don't think so. I visit family here as often as I can but I can't see myself moving back here, especially to work."

Tens of thousands of Korean students are striving to meet stringent academic requirements and complicated screening and visa procedures to go to schools in the United States, China, Britain, Japan, Canada and elsewhere.

Yoon Eun-joo wanted to study abroad because she thought she would be exposed to a more diverse life than in her homeland.

Now studying in London, Yoon said, "I believe being an international student increases cultural and education awareness and it's a vital part of education and everyone should experience it at least once even if it is for a short period."

Latest studies show Korea sends the third largest number of students to the United States, after China and India. In Canada, Koreans outnumber other international students.

The newest study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows universities in Australia, the United States and Britain are by far the biggest draws for students going abroad.

The OECD's report on education trends around the world said language played a "critical" role in the choice for many of the foreign students, with English on top. Almost half of all students heading abroad were from Asia, particularly South Korea, Japan, China and India.

Many stayed on afterward in the countries where they studied, filling jobs in medicine, mathematics, law and engineering, and even in areas which native students avoid. Others who return home often do so hoping to go back to the country and lifestyle where they studied.

The main objective of 24-year-old Lee Ji-hyun is to return to the United States, where she studied for the last 10 years.

After returning home last year when she finished her undergraduate studies in Boston, Lee currently holds a well-paying job in a foreign company here but she's not happy.

"I've been applying for jobs in the United States since before graduation but it's difficult to get hired since the company would also have to sponsor me for a work visa," Lee told the Herald.

"I wish I could go back and live. I'm so much more used to the lifestyle there now, than here."

Lee is ready to leave as soon as she gets a job offer, but it could be years before anything comes along.

Still, without much influence from the domestic economic, political or social standpoint, parents here are eager to send their children off to study overseas, hoping they can learn foreign languages and achieve a level of education that is not offered here.

The cost of studying abroad is making a big dent in domestic pockets. Some Korean experts question whether the high-price tag of foreign education is worthwhile since there is no guarantees for a better future.

Both of Kim Young-ki's sons are at universities overseas. The tuition fees are onerous but Kim hopes his sons, Ho-won and Ho-jun, will return home to become scientists here.

If all goes as planned, both will be homebound within the next couple of years, each highly decorated with degrees that guarantee great opportunities here. "It's not easy providing for two college kids but I think it's worth it," Kim said.

"I just hope they won't want to live abroad permanently. I couldn't bear to have our family living so far away."

([email protected])

By Choi Soung-ah

2004.09.30

[Yaya]

A growing number of Koreans are studying abroad, but this isn't just limited to Korea. Look at how many Chinese, Japanese, Indian, African, South American and other nationalities go to the West for education. Plus, the article ignores the number of Koreans who return after a few years abroad to live again in Korea. The main thing is that they gain enough experience to be able to bring their expertise back to Korea. The Justice Ministry has seen a larger number of ethnic Koreans who repatriate themselves.

Of course, many choose to remain in the West as well, but there are only about five million ethnic Koreans living outside of Korea, three million of which are in China. The rush to immigrate is also nowhere near the level that it was in the 1970s and 1980s.

Incidentally, 40% of Ph.d students in the US are foreigners, and many of them return to their native lands after finishing.