Korean Job Discussion Forums

Flossie · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 2:39 am Post subject:

So far only a couple of replies regarding the op. I, too, am wondering what is needed, as I will be going on Friday and it will be the first time I have had to do a visa run. Every other time I was able to do everything in Seoul at the immigration office there.

Also, anyone know if you need a re-entry permit when leaving on D4 and coming back with an E2? Immigration said no, but hey, they've been known to change their minds and I don't want to be stuck in Incheon at midnight with no way home.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Time to hang up your cape Superhere

desultude · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 5:34 am Post subject:

I agree that things here are westernizing daily. I am not so sure that it is all that good. I also doubt that it has much to do with us English teachers. The world is westernizing as a part of "globalization."

We all have difficult experiences in Korea- we don't know the culture or the ancient and unspoken rules by which it functions. But some people take their difficult individual experiences and anecdotes and generalize them to all Korea and Koreans. It is human nature to stereotype and generalize. Education and ethics teach us that to do so can be both wrong and bad. I find overly negative generalizations both intellectually and ethically offensive.

I had a discussion tonight with some Koreans regarding the recent teacher scandals and how unfair it is to judge all young male westerners by the bad behavior of a few. They completely agreed. But the unfair and unjust generalizations will hurt you guys for a while. Remember the adage to treat others as we wish to be treated? I am sure those of you who have been subjected to abuse because you are young and male, and perhaps on the arm of a young Korean woman, know that this is not the way to be treated.

I've had some rough experiences in Korea, but in my case they have been outweighed by some incredibly good ones. Maybe I am just lucky. But I think that many Koreans can be very good hearted and kind. This is just as much a part of their culture as the difficult stuff. If you do have to generalize- why not generalize about the good points?

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

guys,
Thanks to the people who answered my question.....

Sounds like someone in Sydney is on a powertrip.....

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

Weither you like Derreck or not, on this particular topic he is right.

Korean beaucrats often make up rules or give misinformation when they don't know the answer to a question or the proper procedure. They just don't want to look stupid or powerless. It's just one of those little quirks of Korean culture.

I am sure all of us who have lived in Korea for awhile have experienced this in one form or another.

I have run into this several times at immigration and another time when I tried to get a new ATM card at KB bank.

Badmojo · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 7:27 pm Post subject:

Summer Wine · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River

I agree with the point about different immigration offices playing different rules. One time I waited an hour, got up to the counter. The guy looked at the forms and said 365 go away, I was confused and so asked him what did it mean, he said 365 go away. I could not get him to say anything else than 365 go away and there was no number 365 anywhere, so I left.

Came back a week later to hand in my papers again, went to a counter. A older woman grabbed them out of the hand of the officer. Walked away with them, didn't say anything. 2 minutes later, hands them back with my passport and I asked what was happening, she said I had a new visa. I asked if I had to come back, she said no its now all done. The officer whispered to me that I should say thank you, (I was still pretty stunned) that it was a big boss who had done it for me. That was it, fastest time ever to get a visa.

Land of surprises, some great, some terrible.

trevorcollins · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

hari seldon · Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Location: Incheon

We are dealing with a government bureaucracy and bureaucracies generally don't have a reputation for being user-friendly.

trevorcollins · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Myself and my new employer (who has been excellent through all the crap ithe last month - boy it sure is a lot harder to get an E2 now) rang the consulate in Fukuoka this week and was told all I needed was;
*Passport
*Photo
*60 000 won
*Blue Form

For people applying in Australia...expect to do an interview for your E2, have no idea why.....

rok_the-boat · Joined: 24 Jan 2004

If you apply for your visa in advance before going overseas - with the blue paper - then you need no more documents. The bureaucrat down under is a jerk - doesn't even know his own job. Jerk, jerk, jerk.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

When I was sitting in the office of TEFLInternational yesterday, one of the teachers was on the phone to the director. They were talking about the Visa Run issue.

Apparently, some of their students, or people they know, tried Osaka and Fukoka, and were told that everyone must stay overnight 1 night... no more 1 day visa runs.

So it looks like it's now an overnight deal everywhere you go.