Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coldriser]

I was the victim of HUMAN RIGHTS violation!!!

My wife and I have happily lived in Nonsan, Korea for 7 months, until last month, when I was refused overtime compensation.

Unfortunately, now, we do not have anything to show for our 7-months in Korea. Everything that we purchased (computer, printer, oven, fan, souvenirs, clothes, household accessories, and groceries) were left behind and the funds that we had saved were spent on last minute airline tickets. This was a very expensive time to travel.

Unfortunately, we left everything on the truck. One of my wife's Korean friends arranged a truck for us to put our thing on; to move out of the apartment. Accordingly, we were required to leave Korea the very next day after being terminated thus we left EVERYTHING behind; to her friend (EXCEPT THE 2 SUITCASES WE PACKED ON THE PLANE).

I was deceived to think that my director was my friend but to my surprise and amazement he transformed before my eyes.

Since I had expressed my dissatification with not receiving my initial airfare reimbursement and my overtime compensation, many people advised me to leave after I getting paid to avoid the worse case scenario; which actually happened. After teaching my last class, my director told me to (1) leave the school immediately, (2) turn-in my apartment key the next day at 10 a.m. and then he would consider paying me but (3) I will not get paid a full salary for the month of January because they must deduct the 1,000,000 won; recruiting fee he paid the recruiter for me.

I thought, there must be no JUSTICE in Korea because he welcomed me to complain to the Labor Board without any fear of reprimand. I spent the entire night packing and looking for flights to America. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to say farewell to some of my wonderful students.

Before I gave my director the key; I asked him for a "release letter" but he refused and he said that I MUST leave Korea immediately because he has reported me as a fugitive to immigration.

Out of my monthly NET salary of 1,742,000 won; I only received 263,000 won. He deducted: (a) 4 months advance payment of my pension; 334,800 won, (b) recruiting fee; 583,331, (c) visa run and rental house; 670,000 won, and (d) utilities for the month; 60,000 won.
Again, as a result to getting airline ticket for the next day, we spent all the money we had saved, for airline tickets.

Personally, before arriving to Korea, I heard and read many unfortunately stories about teachers' experiences in Korea but I was always optimistic and I did not know I would be a victim of the same situation!!!!

I have received overwhelming support. My recruiter has made a commitment to refuse placing teachers in this school--21st Century English Academy, Nonsan.

Unfortunately, I don't think much can be done since I am no longer in Korea so, I do not think about recovering from my losses (reimbursement for airfare, monthly salary, overtime, severance pay, etc).

Equally important (but too late), I am learning that my contract was written and executed illegally:

1. Location. I worked in Nonsan but the location of my contract was Gyeryong (the location of a branch location).

2. Tax. Tax is a debatable issue but everyone tells me that 8% was too high.

3. Severance. I am being told that I am eligible for my severance pay especially since my former director claims that he had paid the entire amount, in advance.

4. Recruiting fee. I am being told that charging me for my recruitment fee is illegal. My former director deducted a total of 1,000,000 won from my salary (583,000 won was deducted from my final pay check).

5. Overtime. My former director admits that I worked overtime but refuses to abide by the contract.

6. Bonus. My former director considers "providing snacks" at the hagwon as a bonus (regardless of whether I consume the snacks).

The School's name is: 21st Century English Bank/Academy, Nonsan
The Director's name is: Kim Ki Tag

I do not want anyone to encounter this extremely cruel experience.

In detail, I delivered my resignation letter to my director on 31 January. Pursuant to the contract; any termination of the contract required a 2 month written notice therefore, my resignation was effective 31 March 2006. After we discussed the letter he promised to pay me overtime if I agreed to stay and complete the contract (16 August 2006); I agreed.

Consequently, after teaching my class on 1 February he had changed his mind about paying me overtime and had decided to give me a written reply.

Last, after teaching my last class (9:30 p.m.) on 2 February he had made his final decision to immediately terminate my employment. I agreed to his DEMAND to move out of my apartment and give him the key at 10:00 a.m.; in exchange for my full monthly salary (minus a few minor expenses).

If you decide to take your chances after reading about my experience and other unfavorable experiences, GOOD LUCK!!!!

I feel foreigners have very few Human Rights!!!

[just because]

While that situation is a major stuff-up there was no violation of human rights, just the fact that were gullible enough to believe everything he said..

*You have 2 weeks to depart the country after being fired

*Fugative list, what a crock of crap. he was just trying to scare you so that you would leave the country quick enough so by the time you thought it out it would be too late - why didn't you go to immigration and ask them???

Sorry about your circumstances but forget about the money, it will cost you more money to come back here and get it than what you will receive..

If you had of stayed and went to the labor board and fought it you could have got a lot more back...

[jacl]

Why did you let your ex-employer go and do all that to you? That just baffles me.

[J.B. Clamence]

No doubt your boss treated you very badly, but you could have fought him by going to the authorities. There is legal recourse for foreigners, but you just kind of assumed that there wasn't and didn't bother to try.

[Big Mac]

Your boss is a con artist of the highest order. I can't believe you believed everything he told you.

Why would you be a fugitive? Just because he says so doesn't make it so. If you were really a fugitive, you would have been nabbed by immigration at the airport.

Leave your apartment immediately! Yeah right. I'm pretty sure that's not legal. But you believed him and didn't check it out yourself.

Leave the country immediately? Who says?

I agree that there were no human rights violations here at all. From what I can see, you made no attempts to check with the authorities whether all this information he was feeding you was correct.

It sounds like you are a very naive and gullible person. Your boss knew that because you let him get away with so much stupid stuff right off the top in your contract. Nobody pays 8 per cent tax!! That's highway robbery!

Since he knew you were a naive person he knew he could feed you all this crap and you would take everything he said at face value. So whose fault is that? There are too many naive people in Korea!!

[jacl]

What about the money you owe to the Foreign Teacher's Association? You never mentioned that. I'ts 2 million Won/year. If you didn't pay that then you may be a fugitive in your own country.

I have FTA's account number, so if you want it, just PM me. You should pay that fee to avoid ...

Seriously though, kimchi prevents cancer, Koreans are superior golfers because they use chopsticks, and I saw a ghost last night and then it disappeared.

This announcement has been brought to you from Korea. You have been royally screwed. Please, come again!

[some waygug-in]

Don't feel too bad. At least you're out of there now. Yes, you should have checked with immigration on your own, but I know that's not so easy sometimes. (especially if this was your first time in K-land)
Please post the name of the school on various blacklists around. www.englishschoolwatch.org is a good place to start.
Here's another: http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jonb/blacklisted.html

To some of the previous posters.........do you always kick people when they are down?

[jinju]

Sorry to hear about your experience. But so much of that stuff he told you sounded so outlandish that Im surprised you fell for it. Perhaps this was a good, but expensive lesson. Next time you decide to go live abroad it may come in handy.

[jangsalgida]

Do you have a picture of the place/hagwon? If so, you could post the picture on the internet as well. You could give us directions on how to get there so that if we ever find ourselves walking there from the subway station or bus closest to the Hagwon we could walk the other way or hoc a big luggy on the sidewalk/pee on the porch.

Hey "some way-gugin," he did leave the name of Hagwon/owner...

Look again, that information was listed at least 2 times.

[bellum99]

He joined this board yesterday. He probably didn't have any information.

[kprrok]

Isn't it amazing how these guys can join so quickly after they get crapped on and need a place to vent, but they can't bother to join up before to find out what rights they have?

And how is this a human rights violation? You got conned because you're naive and gullible.

You're gone, unless you're coming back, consider it a lesson that you learned the hard way. Next time, try to do some research and figure out what you can do before you get into situations like this.

KPRROK

[some waygug-in]

[periwinkle]

I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you. I wonder if there's someone he can report this guy to besides the labor board. I'd check out EFL law if I were you and see what the lawyers say. I can't believe someone could get away with something like that.

As for naive and gullible, I don't know about that, but my first year in Korea, I had a vaguely similar situation. I had the director and 2 Canadian supervisors telling me all sorts of versions of the law. Your first time in Korea, you don't know who to turn for for help. If not your director or recruiter (if you used one and if they return your calls), who can you find the proper info from? Your embassy (well, certainly not the US embassy- they stay out of the esl business)? The local police (har, har, har)- for one thing, you'd be hard pressed to find a cop that speaks English- even in Itaewon (I know from experience). Don't call him naive and gullible. What would you have done in his situation your first year in Korea? There's no safety net here, unfortunately.

[own_king]

I can't believe you guys. Is everyone hear so jaded that you show no sympathy for your fellow waygooks when they get screwed over? Or maybe you all have been in Korea too long. The OP got a raw deal and then he vents about it here, which many people do, and he gets sh*t upon by many of the users on this site. I know now why my friend stays off it. But I can't - I'm in too deep. But come on, coldriser got a tough break, he doesn't need you guys jumping on him for being gullible and naive. We were all newbies at some point. I commend the OP for stating the name of the school and owner on this site. I'm sure Dave or some other mod is feverishly working away to delete it. I don't really see any human rights violation (except for the fact that your hagwan owner exitsts), but coldriser rest assure that some members on this board are still human.

[Yu_Bum_suk]