Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hellofaniceguy]

A friend of a friend in Busan filed a complaint with the labor board for wrongful termination.....11th month firing. Hakwon tells the labor board....she was not fired...she quit. (Yeah right....11th month and someone quits....losing out on airfare, severence, etc...)
anyway....hakwon turns the tables and sues the teacher for breaking the contract!!!! Here's the kicker....the teacher CAN'T leave korean until the matter is resolved! Immigration put a hold on her passport! It is not a criminal matter...it's a civil matter....still....once the hakwon filed a lawsuit against the FT and the documents were given to immigration....the person can't leave! And also can't work! Could take months to resolve the issue she is told! In the mean time....she's stuck.
I thought there has to be more to this story then just this....but...when I asked immigration the question....what if....immigration also told me....you
can't leave korean until the matter is finished! So....I guess I'd think twice about suing wangja...even if I thought I was right!

[cubanlord]

easy...go to gimpo airport or busan or any other place that can ferry you to the closest non-Korean place. THEN.......TAKE OFF!!!!! Take a boat somewhere. Not that hard I am sure (especially from the coastal cities).

[crazylemongirl]

[cubanlord]

if immigration has gotten up off of their lazy butts to do so. If you are fast enough...then go for it (or take an illegal boat trip). I am SURE there is a way. This country doesn't exactly follow their own guidelines to a T.

[Gopher]

Something sounds strange about this to me.

You are saying that Immigration is enforcing a civil matter and detaining your friend in Korea based on a claim in civil court, is that correct? They broke the contract by firing the teacher, and now they're suing him or her for breaking the contract?

Is there any other information pertinent to the fact pattern here: did this teacher damage the apt., leave a huge unpaid phone bill, steal something from the hogwon, anything other than just try to quit and leave?

[jlb]

If this story is true, that's some scary stuff going on. My hagwon fired me but then lied to the labor board and immigration and said I quit. I'm just thankful now that they didn't pursue the matter in civil court...that would have sucked.

[funplanet]

She should go to her embassy...perhaps it's illegal for immi to hold her passport for a civil matter...who knows?

or.....just get a new passport and say "adios!"

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Something about this sounds really strange. Marc the lawyer on ES should be the first person you're asking about this.

There must really be more to this story than meets the eye.

[Gopher]

[Captain Corea]

I agree with a couple of the posters here, there must be more to it.

That being said, I can just as easily imagine some archane rule like this on the books. I do hope your friend fights it out though (and wins).

[FUBAR]

[trevorcollins]

[fidel]

[bellum99]

The school can sue you for libel and defaming them. These things ae serious here.
If you are disrupting a place of business, then they can also have you put in jail for the night. (i saw it)

They can block you leaving if you disrupted the business and cost them profit.

[Gopher]