Korean Job Discussion Forums

[holeinthesky]

I wonder about all those arjishi's that sit all day or night long in those little rooms in many apartment buildings~ what are they? Security? Doesn't seem like much of a life, sitting there all day long watching tv, wearing their little uniforms, watching the world go by. What a life....what a way to spend your last days. And they're everywhere.

Without retirement packages in Korea and with the high turnover rate in Korean companies replacing older workers with younger employees, what is the predicament for older Koreans who have not saved a large enough nest egg to live off in their later years?

I heard its not uncommon for well educated men in their 50's and even 40's to be made redundant and left to open fried chicken restaurants for a living. Work at Samsung for 30 of the best years of your life, slave away at 70 hours a week just to be let go when younger spunky recruits come along....

Doesn't seem like a decent way to respect your elders. Push them out of the real world and pay them $5 an hour to sit in a room the size of a chicken pen day in day out. Perhaps they enjoy it, but seems like a living hell to me

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[Real Reality]

Elderly Want Separate Living From Children
Almost eight out of 10 elderly do not want to live with their children after retirement, according to a survey. The survey conducted by the Korean Association of Retired Persons (KARP) said that 78 percent of people aged over 50 hope to live separately from their children after they stop working.

"The main reason for their willingness to live separately from the children is economic independence. Those in their 50s and 60s, who were born in 1940s and 1950s, have enough money to manage their lives without their children's help," Kim Sun-kyung, a staff member of the KARP, said.
By Kim Rahn, Korea Times (January 16, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200601/kt2006011618293810510.htm

Elderly Suicide Rises 5-Fold in 20 Years
By Lee Hyo-sik, Korea Times (July 20, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200507/kt2005072020251111880.htm

[Qinella]

Korea has a social security plan very similar the US's. It's also facing the same problem, which is lack of supporting worker base. In an effort to combat the problem, the Korean govt offers certain incentives to couples who have more than two children.

Similar to the US, some eldery people who receive govt money still decide to take on some sort of simple job where they can get paid to basically piddle around all day. Supplemental income, or maybe even necessary, but either way it's sad, yes. We all probably agree that old people shouldn't have to work. But, some do it to just get out of the house, too.

I agree with you about laying off of older workers. That sucks no matter which way you slice it. It happened to several of my American friends' parents. My own father has 25 years experience working with computers (networking, programming, etc.) and finally decided to get a regular job with a company. He's almost 50, so despite his massive experience and knowledge that can't be taught in a classroom, he couldn't find a job anywhere.

Them's the breaks. Capitalism is a beast sometimes.