Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gia3000 · Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada

I am miserable here. I am homesick and my mental and physical health are deteriorating. I keep crying every day and I'm losing weight at an alarming rate (I wouldn't be surprised if some doctor diagnosed me with an eating disorder at this point).

I've been here for 6 and a half months. My contract states that I should give a 30 days notice if I quit. I just think that 30 days is too long and quite frankly I'm scared that my life will be hell during those 30 days. So, I'm thinking of running. I don't care if I don't get a letter of release or get blacklisted; I have no plans on ever coming back.

PENSION QUESTION: Can I go to the pension office and get them to wire transfer the pension money to my account in Canada? I've been told that I need to show them my flight info and pay stubs (I'm not 100% sure about the latter). Will the pension office check with the hagwan if I really quit or is the departure date on my flight ticket enough? I'd rather not lose 700,000 won (the money I put in). At this point, I don't even care about the other 700,000 won my hagwan put in but I'd feel bad losing the share I've put in. I know it's an all or nothing situation though.

I know they don't wire the money immediately. I'm just worried about whether or not they will call up my boss and ask if everything is ok on their end.

Any help is appreciated.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

I don't know your financial position, so I can't completely judge, but I would say forget about the pension. If you start looking into it and make requests to the pension office, I think they might call your employer for whatever reason. If you have been here only 6 months and I am guessing you will leave after your next pay check, you have put in about 40000 X 7 = 210000. Now double that with the employers contributions and it is about $500, which might or might not be worth the trouble of it.

Second, you might be able to do it from outside the country (I would guess there are ways) but I would not do it until you left (ie contact the pension office).

Finally, did you get a pension certificate from your employer (just to make sure you have even been paying the pension...)?

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Gia3000 · Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada

I make 2.2 million won. And I just checked, my pension is 98,550 won per month. I guess I'll have to find a Korean buddy.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

to get your pension you need your passport, a ticket out of the country and banking information for them to send the money to. Thats it!

cypher · Joined: 08 Nov 2003

You can also claim it when you get back to Canada, however it will take much longer. This is all assuming that your school has been paying it.

newinseoul · Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Location: Busan

Sorry to hijack this threat but, does anyone know if there is a pension office in Kangnam area?

Gia, I hope it works out for you. If it is affecting your health and you can't possibly stay for another thirty days, then just bail.

46long · Joined: 23 Aug 2005

Gideon · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Location: Seoul

I am sorry to hear about your situation. You dont seem to be enjoying korean life. Is it the job thats causing most of your problems? Perhaps finding another would help. Do you have any friends working here that can help you? Its always good to have someone you can relate to.

6 months is usually the breaking point where you know if you want to stay or go.

If you need someone to chat to, just pm me and leav