Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Are you really paid well? Are all foreigners paid equal to or better than their Korean co-workers?

Consider these two quotes:

Foreign workers are paid 1.2 million won ($1,000) a month on average, far less than Korean workers.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200307/03/200307032346413709900090509051.html

Foreign professors tend to be treated as hired hands, without academic standing, and lacking the possibility of career advancement or tenure. They must submit to yearly contracts (compensated at a rate only 60 percent of their Korean peers).
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200206/14/200206142349223599900090109011.html

[BTM]

Your first link seems to be talking about 'industrial trainees' (ie slave workers from the 3rd world), there, rather than us Language Pimps.

Not that I disagree entirely your main point, of course.

[The Cube]

..

[Real Reality]

How about institutes, schools, and universities provide a scale on their websites?

For example:
Minimum Salary Scale for Sessional Lecturers
for Faculties/Departments where 6 credits per term is a full-time load
effective from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003 (includes the 2% general wage increase effective July 1, 2002)


Step $ per credit ... 3 credit course
..1 .... $2,492 ............ $7,476
..2 .... $2,523 ............ $7,570
..3 .... $2,556 ............ $7,668
..4 .... $2,589 ............ $7,766
..5 .... $2,621 ............ $7,864
..6 .... $2,654 ............ $7,962
..7 .... $2,686 ............ $8,057
..8 .... $2,717 ............ $8,152
Note: this scale does not reflect year in rank.

http://www.facultyrelations.ubc.ca/administration/2002scale2.htm

Lecturers -- Categories and Fringe Benefits
http://www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/policies/policy38.html

PROFESSOR
Country ..... Salary/Month
Australia .... 4,751
China ........ 453
Hong Kong 16,287
India ......... 367
Indonesia .. 88
Japan ........ 6,983
Malaysia .... 2,851
Philippines . 367
Singapore . 4,921
S. Korea ... 5,511
Taiwan ..... 3,279
Thailand ... 662
U.S. ......... 6,074
All are median salaries that exclude fixed and variable bonuses. Exchange rates per $1 used to calculate monthly salaries: Australia, A$1.63; China, RMB8.28; Hong Kong, HK$7.78; India, Rs43.61; Indonesia, Rp7,380; Japan, 110 yen; Malaysia, RM3.80; Philippines, 40.85 pesos; Singapore, S$1.71; South Korea, 1,134 won; Taiwan, NT$30.78; Thailand, 37.77 baht.
http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/features/salaries/2000/popups/content/21prof.html

[Anda]

Experianced Korean teachers and professors get paid a lot more than what experianced Western teachers get paid here. Something like 50% more.

As I've said before if one wants to get paid more then local teachers then go to China or Russia and you will get paid more than the local teachers but about 60% less than what we get paid as foreign teachers here.


The big money in Hong Kong is due to the cost of living there.

[blah]

In Taiwan you will make about double the amount as your Taiwanese co-teacher, for doing half the work and two thirds the hours. This leads to a lot of resentment towards foreign teachers. Just a point to think about.

[Morning Calm]

I understand your point and it's a very interesting topic. However, I think you've presented it in a confusing manner. Anyway, it definately depends on who your comparing salaries with. Do you mean the average Korean in the ESL market? Do you mean the average Korean working in the PC bangs and soju bangs? Do you mean the average office worker? Or do you mean the average Samsung employee?

[Real Reality]

He added taxi drivers earn an average of 1.78 million won per month, 60-70 percent of what bus drivers make.
Taxis Seek to Hike Fares by Over 20%
By Bae Keun-min, Korea Times (November 24, 2004)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200411/kt2004112414591253460.htm

Do you earn the same as a bus driver?

[thorin]

[Real Reality]

thorin,
Good reply.

Teachers are respected more than bus drivers in Korea, right?
If teachers are respected more than bus drivers, then are teachers paid a higher salary with more (or better) benefits?

[mindmetoo]

Wasn't there some discussion about moving RR's semi weekly "look people in unrelated industries who work twice our hours make more than us!" barf-n-url post into some kind of sticky post?