Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Hiring Capacity Worst in 6 Years
The nation's employment capacity dipped to the worst level in six years since the 1997-98 financial crisis. Despite the steady growth in production, the hiring cases of companies and manufacturers decreased, the Bank of Korea (BOK) reported on Wednesday. It is hard for Korea to expect the natural cycle of simultaneous growth in production and employment any more, a BOK economist said.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200405/kt2004052615052810160.htm

[weatherman]

It is funny how you get reports like this and then on the next page you get reports on how great Korean exports are doing and how much of the surplus there is. What is going on? The domestic economy is the dumps, and the money from export earnings are going back into investments overseas or used incorrectly to be help the domestic sector. Why is earned money used incorrectly? corruption and lack of political will to make changes where this money would be use more efficiently. The banking sector is still having problems with credit cards, labor is either over paid or under paid, and management systems in this country don't respond fast enough to changes in the market place. All this equal waste. So you can have good reports and bad reports on the same subject depending on where you are looking at and where you are looking from.

[Real Reality]

[Real Reality]

Households brace for higher living costs
By Yoo Soh-jung, Korea Herald (December 6, 2004)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/12/06/200412060033.asp

[fondasoape]

8 years from now, korea will be begging for conditions like 2004.

If you model you economy on Japan's, and conduct business in an even more collusive and arcane way, what can you expect?

Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind, baby!

[Real Reality]

National health insurance premiums will be raised by 2.38 percent next year, while medical service charges will be increased by 2.99 percent.

The new rates will be applied on Jan. 1 next year. Among the new benefits of the insured medical services are the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests for fetuses.
By Bae Keun-min, Korea Times (December 6, 2004)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200412/kt2004120616584111990.htm

[Real Reality]

More for Korean Fast Food
Nongshim, Korea's leading instant noodle company, announced Thursday that it will raise the price of its noodle products by 8 percent from Friday. The price hike on what is often dubbed Korea's favorite fast food is likely to prompt other noodle manufacturers to follow suit. The decision to revise up the retail price comes a year after the company raised them by an average of 6.5 percent last December.
by Kim Sung-yoon, Chosun Ilbo (December 23, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200412/200412230028.html

[Real Reality]

Consumer Prices Shoot Up in 2004
by Na Ji-hong, Chosun Ilbo (December 30, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200412/200412300027.html

[Real Reality]

Costs for transportation and education services have surged during the past five years, contributing to a double-digit increase in consumer prices.

Charges for basic home telephone services rose 48 percent, with public telephones shooting up by 40 percent and inter-city charges 7.5 percent. Local phones, however, decreased 13.3 percent, while mobile phone charges dropped 19.8 percent.

Costs for dining-out also soared in the double digits as "samgyopsal," or barbecued pork belly at restaurants rose 23.6 percent, "pulgogi," or seasoned barbecued beef, increased 17.1 percent, while "chajangmyon," Chinese noodles with stir-fried black bean sauce, jumped 20.5 percent.

Prices of "soju," the country's most popular liquor, rose 22.8 percent at bars and restaurants, while beers edged up 1.6 percent.

Men's and women's shoe prices increased 41.7 percent and 31.7 percent, respectively. Laundry soap prices rose 16.2 percent and soap powder by 28.7 percent. Toothpaste jumped 18.4 percent with shampoo rising 15.8 percent and lotion increasing 8.8 percent. Movie tickets rose 16.5 percent and newspaper subscription rates increased 21.5 percent. The prices of digestive aids jumped 28.3 percent, with cold medicines and tonic drinks ascending 14.4 percent and 17.4 percent, respectively. Medical consultation and diagnosis fees rose 16.1 percent with medication costs rising 26.8 percent.
By Bae Keun-min, Korea Times (February 10, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200502/kt2005021016101210220.htm

[Hanson]

Yeah, the subway price hike over 5 years is incredible! Was anyone one else appalled at the % of price change in a simple subway ride (6 months ago?)?... Yes, it's still cheap compared to the western world, but the amount of the increase just didn't seem reasonable.

Let's see... It was 600won for a simple subway ride within the first "zone", and now it's 800won..., that's a 33% increase!!! Unbelievable!

[Real Reality]

Official Land Price Likely to Rise 26 Percent and Property Taxes to Increase Up to 50 percent This Year
The official land price of standard areas, which is the standard of all land-related taxes and compensations, rose more than an average of 26 percent this year.

Against this backdrop, it is expected that many regions will see land-related property taxes increase up to 50 percent, and inheritance and gift tax and the inheritance and registration tax increase by more than two digits after June 1, when individual official land prices will be fixed and take effect.
by Jae-Seong Hwang and Eun-Woo Lee, Donga.com (February 27, 2005)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2005022859898

[panthermodern]

I get Real Reality ...

Attack the stats and the info and not him ...

"He" rarely gives an opinion.

"His" opinion is your projection of what "his" opinion is ...

"McLuhanism" is Real Realities message ...

If you think his post are stupid you are stupid ...

[JongnoGuru]

A 50% hike would be massive, but annual property taxes are so low here compared to the West that it's hard to get upset over this. It's like your water bill "leaping" from 10,000 won to 15,000 won/month. I'm not a big "tax & spender", but a lot of things in Korea -- taxes, utilities, public transportation -- are pointlessly, artificially low. This is because of policy and attitudinal holdovers from a much earlier, poorer time in Korea.

[itaewonguy]

can anyone say JAPAN?
wont be long before Korea becomes to enpensive to live and everyone will join the migration to china and all teachers will do their part to help the next super power regain the glory it once had! and everyone will move there!! better money! better living! korea will be left for the few!

[inkoreaforgood]