Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

A Turk who loved Korea and Korean Language left the country Monday after ten years of study with her heart full of sorrow and regret... leaving only a month ahead of the publishing of her Ph.D. thesis.

She went to the Immigration Office and asked for a student visa extension, but was denied....They just said, 'Foreigner identification card,' and, 'Your period is over.'" She showed them the certificate from the ministry of Education and made them talk to ministry workers. But all she heard was, "The Ministry of Justice does not allow it, so nothing can be done." This time even her professor tried to help. Then they said, "Maybe, if you send a more detailed document explaining your reasons." But by then, she did not want to try any longer. This one incident led her to remember ten years of unpleasant memories in Korea.

"I still can't forget how baffled I was when I first came to the Immigration office. The entrance was divided into 'USA' and 'Other Foreigners' (This distinction has now vanished). What were even more shocking were the officers' attitudes. They were perfectly cordial to the Americans, but in the 'Other Foreigners' section they would shout and ask questions like 'Why are you here?' 'Are you trying to stay illegally?' One Uzbek student I knew was dragged out of her dormitory in handcuffs without even letting her pack her things for illegally tutoring English."

"I have heard so many stories about Korea when I was young that I began to love Korea. The reason why my father allowed me to study abroad was because it was Korea." Many asked her to reconsider, but her mind had already left Korea. "My heart like a glass bottle filled with love for Korea. And now that glass bottle is broken. Where can you find the paste to put back the scattered pieces?" were her last words.
by Kim Bong-gi
Chosun Ilbo (November 8, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200411/200411080035.html

[Mashimaro]

double post

[Mashimaro]

[Swiss James]

"My heart like a glass bottle filled with love for Korea. And now that glass bottle is broken. Where can you find the paste to put back the scattered pieces?"

Jeez you can tell she's a language student eh?

[Mashimaro]

[Swiss James]

actually I thought you analogy was a lot better than her simile.

*adjusts half-moon glasses*

[rapier]

So believable..but after 10 years she should've known to expect difficulties, tricky beurocracy, and to fight and put pressure on to get the bare minimum of what you can automatically expect in other countries.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Utterly classic. And to think they gave her no wiggle room, when what she had been doing was studying Korean, which would presumably give those nationalist idiots a big hard on.

All I can say is ... Hub of Asia my arse!

[Real Reality]

Why did she not get a permanent resident visa?

Ministry Eases Criteria for Permanent Residence
The government will ease qualifications for permanent residency for foreigners and allow employees of foreign firms investing over $500,000 to apply for denizenship, the Justice Ministry said yesterday.

In the case of other foreigners, they must live here for 12 years to apply for permanent residency.
By Soh Ji-young
Korea Times (March 17, 2003)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200303/kt2003031716491711970.htm

Permanent residence for foreigners investing more than US$5 million
The Ministry of Justice announced on June 11 that in order to attract more foreign investments and create new jobs, it will give permanent residence visas (F-5) to foreigners who have invested more than US$5 million regardless of their length of stay.
Korea Real Estate Information Center
http://www.kreic.com/e_pds/pds2_view.jsp?bbs_id=13468&qry_cond=subject&qry_contents=&page=7

[Real Reality]

Ministry Unveils Plan for Enhanced Cultural Exchanges
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200411/kt2004110916570211720.htm

Cultural Exchange?

"This one incident led her to remember ten years of unpleasant memories in Korea."

[Real Reality]

Chinese students face local woes
"We are not illegal immigrants. We came to learn Korean to get better and more successful jobs," said Pao Yang, the deputy head of an association of Chinese students in Korea and a postgraduate from Yanbian University. "But every time we visit the Immigration Bureau to renew our visas, we are treated like criminals." Chinese students have to renew their visas every six months, while students of other nationalities don't, he said. "We have to turn in 10 different personal documents including where our parents work and information on family income, at least five months prior to entering school," he said.

Jao Yingqing, 22, attending a college in North Gyeongsang Province, complained that language courses lacked competent teachers. Ms. Jao said she studied Korean by watching movies,...
by Im Jang-hyuk and Jeong Kang-hyun
JoongAng Daily (November 9, 2004)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200411/09/200411092231558109900092309231.html

[nrvs]

[Paji eh Wong]

Am I missing something?

[Real Reality]

Paji eh Wong,
Basically, she was told to leave the country. She was not given a new visa. She apparently could not apply for another visa.

"I brought the certificate of the national scholarship and letter from my professor, but the officers did not even look at the documents. They just said, 'Foreigner identification card,' and, 'Your period is over.'" She showed them the certificate from the ministry of Education and made them talk to ministry workers. But all she heard was, "The Ministry of Justice does not allow it, so nothing can be done."

She received her Ph.D. two years ago, and was supposed to publish her Ph.D. thesis "Research of the Korean Script" next month.

Why did she not get a permanent resident visa?
Ministry Eases Criteria for Permanent Residence
The government will ease qualifications for permanent residency for foreigners and allow employees of foreign firms investing over $500,000 to apply for denizenship, the Justice Ministry said yesterday. In the case of other foreigners, they must live here for 12 years to apply for permanent residency.
By Soh Ji-young
Korea Times (March 17, 2003)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200303/kt2003031716491711970.htm

[Keepongoing]

if she had finsihed her PHd was she still a student?