Korean Job Discussion Forums

[denverdeath]

As some other posters have mentioned, your boss might need your passport to do some paperwork seeing as you just got back from Japan. Maybe he's trying to make things easier for you by going to immigration for you and opening a new bank account for you or something. Who knows? I've had bosses ask for my passport after a visa run before. I asked, "Why?" and they responded, "To get your immigration card." I then said, "When do I get it back?" and they replied, "In seven to ten days." Everything was okay. I recommend going back into your boss' office and saying, "Sorry, but I forgot to ask why you need my passport." If he says that it's company policy, or his, to keep it in his desk for the year, tell him that you need to keep it yourself. You don't have to explain why as that's really none of his business. You might also want to do the immigration thing yourself as I wouldn't trust him that much after telling me that he needed to keep my passport for the duration of my contract.

[keithinkorea]

As everyone else has said don't let him 'keep' your passport. It's not even your property it belongs to your government.

He's just trying to have more stuff to hold over you. Some teachers do runners and he may well have had this happen, if you don't have 'your' passport you cant run. They may have had legitimate reasons to run! It does happen. Some Korean bosses of friends I have almost seem to view you as property.

Don't let them keep your passport for an extended period of time, don't let them hang onto your origiaanl degree. Your boss sounds like a shady or very insecure character.

[Grotto]

No way should your boss 'keep' your passport.

What happens to you if HE does a midnight run? Shuts down the hogwan and disappears?

If hostilities between North and South Korea start up again?

If you have to leave for an emergency? Personal or medical?

If something happens while your boss is on vacation?

Too many possible variables to even think about handing it over!

[Wishmaster]

Man, you are as green as grass, OP. Normal procedure?...uh, no. You don't have that passport, you can't leave Korea. I shudder when I think about losing a passport...you are in a world of shit. Your master(not boss...because this is how he views his relationship with you) is trying to play the typical Korean con game that they've been playing year after year with newbie foreigners like you. That passport is the property of your government. Not mini-me Korea hagwon owner. Imagine if US or Canada employers demanded the passports of Korean employees, the Koreans would be screaming bloody murder and, for some reason, our governments would deal harshly with these employers. But here in Korea, our governments don't put enough pressure on all the corruption and therefore it continues year after year.

[Gopher]

[deleted]

[crazy teacher]

Hi everyone thanks so much for the advice. I had already decided that I wouldn't give him my passport (I have it as I insisted on him handing it back to me!) but it is nice to hear that everyone else thinks that is as unreasonable a request as I thought it was.

I asked him imediately why he needed it and it is not for paperwork he sees it as security for himself and the school. Thankfully the discussion remained polite and he accepted (at that point) my answer of I want to speak to my embasy first. Therefore at this point in time I am going to asume that he is still a good guy (after all I have had way worse arguments and unreasonable requests from my own father and I am still speaking to him)

However my eyes are opened!

It is also great to have so many things I can say to him I think he will back down pretty quickly but I will see on Monday and let you know!

Thanks again!

[crazy teacher]

Well just went into a meeting with my boss, it is a scheduled meeting for every monday and the first thing he said was "I have thought over the weekend that because I trust you I dont need your passport". In reality he has prob done a little research himself and realised he has no leg to stand on or was worried I would get resign either way the issue is closed!

I was a bit sad I was ready for an argument! Ah well it is way better like this!

Cheers again all!