Korean Job Discussion Forums

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

Well, its been about a year since sealed transcripts were first required. That move was made to make visa issuance much more legally sound.
My question is, has it worked? I would say yes although I can't prove it. The only evidence I have are acts of omission and that being the lack of news stories about people teaching with visa based on fake diplomas.

BigBuds · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Location: Changwon

The only news recently about fake degrees has been a bunch of Korean Professors, doctors, and lawyers (about 30 of them) being caught with fake degrees all from the same degree mill in Los Angeles. They can only prosecute 5 of them because of a 5 year statute of limitations. Supposedly, they have informed the employers of the rest. But knowing Korea the employers would probably just sweep it under the carpet as it would bring them bad publicity and hurt their reputations (can't lose face, even if my employees have lied to me and are unqualified Rolling Eyes

).

It was hidden around page 10 of a Korean newpaper and a pretty small article at that. Had it been foreigners, it would have been front page news.

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

I haven't heard of anything, but again that might also go to show how weak the process is for hiring new teachers, and vetting the transcripts by Korean Immigration. One of the last schools I worked at I know had a person with a fake degree and transcript. This person's degree looked perfect, the person was 22, their transcript didn't have a seal on the back, and few other niggling details stood out. Specifically the fact that the person had already spent time in Korea before taking the job at the place I was at.

From what I gathered Korean Immigration can't actually call the school to verify without permission from the person being hired. So it doesn't seem all that implausible that you could have a fake degree and transcript done up for a small college somewhere that isn't a big name and submitting them to immigration.

John Henry · Joined: 24 Sep 2004

IF you can forge a diploma, surely you can forge sealed transcripts.

Aussiekimchi · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Location: SYDNEY

A friend of mine (Korean) told me that her mother will go to Canada next month to buy a Masters degree from a University in Vancouver.
Wonder how common it is with Koreans?

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

Does anyone know:
If you resign a contract are you required to resubmit the sealed degrees? Cause dang, that's a freakin' pain!

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

hari seldon · Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Location: Incheon

Homer · Guest

I seems to have made a difference. IT cannot have already erradicated the problem...that is near impossible. Limiting the problem however is a reachable goal they should continue to strive for.

Also, because we do not hear about progress, it does mean there is no progress. People who get busted with fake credentials don't always make the news. Some just get busted, fined and tossed out on their sorry butts without anyone knowing about it and that is perhaps better.