Korean Job Discussion Forums

[butlerian]

...is it possible?

[laogaiguk]

I read an article once there are a few people who do. They said the conditions they lived in were bearable, not the best but not bad. They were paid in US dollars that were put in a bank account somewhere else, as their food and stuff was taken care of there (forced taken care of ) Their freedom was less than even what you might be thinking of in North Korea though. I read it about two years ago. They all had MAs if I remember correctly.

This is all from memory of one article I glanced at, take it with a grain of salt.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Comrades and Strangers, by I can't remember whom, is an interesting read by someone who worked as an editor for the Nork government and got to do a bit of teaching on the side. I doubt Nork unis and public schools, even the ones for Party members' kids, have budgets for FTs.

Can you imagine what the cafeteria food is like at a Nork public school? (if they have any).

[soviet_man]

I've never seen any DPRK position being publicly advertised.

I looked into it a long time ago and ultimately concluded that the sheer scarcity of job openings for outsiders meant it just wasn't going to happen.

I can even speak two languages (both English and Russian) and still couldn't find a single opportunity to work in the DPRK.

In saying that, I don't disrespect their current position on issuing visas for foreigners and it could change in the near future.

[Woland]

A few years back (around 1999-2000) the British Council was allowed to open an office in North Korea. I know one of the women who was going there to work (but have not been in touch with her since). I do not know if the office remains open. I would imagine that they were not providing public access English lessons, but courses for particular populations that the regime wanted trained in English.

[just because]

I am under the impression that there are a couple of positions but they are attached to European embassies

[cdninkorea]

I found a job posting about teaching in North Korea and even made a post of it on this board a few months ago (I believe I called it "Teaching English in the OTHER Korea"), but the ad itself was from 2003. I have no idea if openings are still available.

BTW, it was advertised by the British gov't and only open to Britons.

[jmbran11]

About 3 months ago someone posted a link on this site to a journal written by an English teacher working in North Korea. It was a short book, actually. The teacher is now deceased, but it was quite interesting. He was recruited through a university in the U.K. (Leeds College, maybe?).

I wish I could remember enough details to point you in the right direction. The teacher did some classroom and editing work for the government. As I recall, he wasn't permitted to leave the country until he recruited a replacement, and so spent an extra year or so there.

[Hotpants]

What would be your motives for teaching in DPRK?

[butlerian]

Personally, I don't wish to teach in North Korea - I'm happy working in South Korea. But I am interested about North Korea in terms of the culture and lifestyle, and whether or not they have English teachers working over there. Although I can imagine that living and working in North Korea would be too difficult for someone like myself, it would be a unique experience, and would surely appeal to a minority of people.

[ChuckECheese]

I wonder what kind of visa they would offer to foreign teachers.....

Permanent one I bet. You're there until they say you can leave. They can use you as prepaganda for other foreign visitors or new teacher(s) coming on board..........

[alabamaman]

[BigBuds]

[Hyalucent]

[laogaiguk]