Korean Job Discussion Forums

paperbag princess · Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Location: veggie hell

so the other day in one of my consation classes, one of the students brought in an article about how korea has the lowest birth rate in the "developed" world. so we talked about what the options were for korea and the only things that my students could come up with were:

1. that women obviously just needed to have to babies.
2. that koreans who were abroad need to return
3. all the girl babies that were adopted in america etc... had to come back, eventhough they had been basically thrown away during the "birth rate" crisis.

when i mentioned that perhaps immigration would be a viable options they scoffed. i told them that in canada we would have a negative birth rate if it weren't for our immigration policies and they were having none of it.

arhg. this place drives me crazy sometimes.

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

Is Korea actually a "developed" country..? I thought it was still considered "developing"...hmm. I think part of the problem that Korea is experiencing is that their younger generations are traveling abroad...and seeing the "faults" with Korean society. They are realizing that they live a happier life in another country...away from the pressures of society, job culture, etc. To say "they need to come back"..is fine for those here, but there is a reason they are there in the first place. What happens when these people have children..?..they practically kill themselves working so they can send their chlidren overseas to study there. Even if their children are kept in Korea ..it costs parents a fortune with the hagwons to keep their children chances of getting into a "good " univeristy half way decent.. You are absolutely right, if it weren't for immigration canada would be in rough shape....but Korea open its doors to foreigners...? Sure if they will come work for slave wages...(factory workers and the such), horrible working conditions, mental abuse from bosses....it doesn't make for a very good situation. I'm going to be interested to see what the outcome is of the "free trade" agreement between Canada and Korea will be.

fusionbarnone · Joined: 31 May 2004

One of your student points about getting the female adoptees(the castoff Koreans) to come back and bend over, is precisely what irks me.

My finacee was adopted at birth, and suddenly being in country, she's expected to get with "their" action as if being booted out of her birth country didn't matter.

This is extreme, but neither of us are fazed. It's just the damn cheek of it all.

I think the Noribang casanovas should stay home more and study the Karma Sutra.

Universalis · Joined: 17 Nov 2003 Location: Seoul

1) Enjoy the less-crowded beaches, mountains, and parks.

2) Enjoy the rising wages as Korean companies have to pay more to lure the fewer skilled workers

3) Go back to school, as Universities will no doubt make it easier fro older students to return to make up for the lower number of incoming students.

4) Go shopping, for fun... you won't have to worry about the mobs.

5) Take a road trip, as the roads will have fewer cars.

There may be a few bad side effects along with the good stuff, but I think the latter outweight the former.

Brian

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

This is one of the most overcrowded countries on earth- a falling birth rate is highly welcome news.

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

I guess it depends on how you class the "third world countries"...but this is where i read it. http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/third_world.htm

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

That site is outdated.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Jeez they really gotta make up their minds. Birth rate is down and they are dissing on all the foriegn teachers who are only trying to do their part Wink

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

Really..?..It says it was updated in February 2005.

mithridates · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 3:57 am Post subject:

What?! What a stupid map.

And in news from the 'developed' world:

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

I think it is the solemn duty of all esl teachers here to do their best to combat the falling birthrate.

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

If you actually follow the "three world model"...it explains that the division is based on population and net "foreign" investments. http://www.uwec.edu/geography/Ivogeler/w111/3world.htm

mithridates · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:08 am Post subject:

I don't like strict definitions; they clash with reality quite often. According to one strict definition I'm the dumbest poster on the board.