Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nfarney]

[J.B. Clamence]

[vdowd]

I did not get the feeling that poster meant that it was Ok to write something illegal into the contract and to use to contract to over rule the law.

I think, and tell me if I am wrong, that he meant, for example, that if your employer did not deduct and remit the tax/pension to the Korean Tax/Pension office though out the contract and then deducted it on the last pay check and remitted it to the appropriate government office that some employees would complain. Even though they are responsible to payment of tax and their portion to the pension fund.

I agree that they should complain if this is a surprise but really when was the last time you worked in any country and did not pay taxes. Skip to ** to avoid the long story).

This is my story - worked for 15 months and was double taxed for the first 8 months - pointed out and my employer says no more tax deducted until it is corrected (accountant error) - no pension ever deducted. One month vacation and return for 13 month - no taxes deducted - pension deducted for last 2 months (checked with pension).

Total recap - Total employment (28 month) - taxes paid for 1st year (8months x 2 = 16 month) = total tax owed by to government by ME is still 12 months. Pension owed by MYSELF and MY EMPLOYER (28 months - 2 = 26 months).

Now my employer has no intention of asking my to pay these taxes or pension at the end of September. Remember I OWE 12 months of taxes and 26 months of pension) - thus he avoids paying the 26 months of pension.

** I should merrily go home and know I saved myself the money. Yeah lucky me. NOT - Read below -

The reality -no tax statement to give to Canada Revenue - pay Korea 3.3-3.5% or pay Canada 35% taxes. Guess what, I am paying Korea taxes for the year! even if my employer does not deduct it.

I could take a chance and not be caught but I don't think it is worth the anxiety or money if caught (additional 30% - can't ask for a re-do).

I will pay the pension 26 months - then my employer has to do the same and I ask for all of it - his and mine back. I can do this and it is all legal.

I want to come back to Korea to work. If I take the chance that they will not notice that I only paid 2 months to pension in Korea (fat chance, 2 month contracts are not the norm) - they can approach me in 1 year, 2 years and ask for the whole amount but they will have a very hard time getting it from a prior employer.

What have I learned form this experience - force the issue, nicely of course - if your employer does't have deductions for pension, get a friend to go with you and apply yourself at the pension office. Go down in Februaty and get a Tax statement and again at the end of the contract.



pensionwould have no recourse if woed by me is 28months-2 = 26 monand 4 -
Not me - in fact, something similar happening to me now through some oversight (yeah) of my employer. In fact, he has no intention of making me pay tax for the last 14 month and has only deducted 2 payments for pension.

Seems like a sweet deal - I keep my mounth shut and I don't pay taxes this year. Also I dont' pay

[vdowd]

by the way - ignore the extra at the bottom - just thinking aloud and forgot to delete.

[Wisco Kid]

What about if you end your contract early and leave the country. Are you still able to get all your pension paid back? I don't mean a midnight run, but giving a full month's notice.

[Wisco Kid]

Thanks all who gave their advice. After going to the pension office, the nice lady who worked there called up my boss and when I got to work in the afternoon, my director was all ready to have a chat to straighten me out. Well, I substituted my usual buddhistic passiveness for imovability and took the hard line that I was right and the director was cheating me out of 85,000 won of my monthly salary. The directors (they're a married couple) tried many times to convince me that everything was Ok, they weren't trying to decieve me,blah,blah blah. They finally said they wanted to come to an agreement (ie. "save face") and asked what would be an acceptable solution. I had to firmly state several times that the only acceptable solution was to follow the law and cover their 4.5% towards the pension. It seems they finally got the idea that I wasn't going to be pushed over on this one and GAVE IN, mostly I think because they want to keep their reputation good. So now I'll be getting all the pension money I should have coming to me. Incidently I won't have to lose any sleep wondering about my severence or return airfare because I'm not stickin' around that long. Three more paychecks and I'm outta here, back to warm weather and warm hearts in Thailand.

[captain kirk]

I've read the entire thread. From what I understand it's the law to pay into the pension scheme. And not paying into it is illegal, is that right?
At the haggie I'm at now, been here nine months, no pension has been deducted. Only 4% tax.
At the last haggie I worked at the director said he'd talked to someone and arranged that I needn't pay into the pension scheme.
I'm at a loss about this stuff. I mean, what the heck do foreingers need with a pension scheme, anyway. The majority are not going to retire here in Korea, anyway. And when they leave it just gets refunded. What's the goverment doing, making money off the interest that accrues.
And what about these schools I've worked at that, apparently, aren't following the law and putting into the pension. Does this mean I'll have to pay pension at some time on the working months it hasn't been deducted? Does anyone in government keep tabs on this kind of thing?
Is it possible for a boss to 'deduct tax' (and 'pension') and not be paying the government anything?

[nrvs]

[peppermint]

It's probably a sign that you won't be getting medical insurance either, because when you get signed up for insurance, they automatically contact the pension office too.

[nfarney]

[captain kirk]

Wow, man. If the school doesn't pay into the pension, as required by law, they also avoid paying medical. Both these things the school pays half, and the f-teacher pays half.
If I want medical then they'll have to pay the pension, bells will ring at the pension office.
Very interesting, thanks.