Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Scaggs]

Hey all

This is a rant/search for advice. I am conducting my job search and have found some promising jobs and looking to get myself situated here soonish. However, so far it seems like every promising job I find comes crashing into the dirty business practices. It isn't just the employers trying to give me a bum deal, I keep running into situations where the schools aren't paying into the pension with some dumb excuse. It isn't like I clause I can just have added to the contract, because they aren't just going to start paying out of the blue.

And today, this school (with a job I am actually considering taking still because it just doesn't seem to get any better) is a private corporation that operates the afterschool program at a public school. They want me to setup two bank accounts. One they have access to and the public school pays into, and one that functions just as my normal bank account. At first I thought, okay whatever, but when I started thinking about why would they do that it seemed less cool. The only thing that makes sense is that the public school is going to be thinking they are paying me a certain salary and the private company will be skimming off of it.

I just want a good honest job. Any advice (other than the obvious leave Korea)?

Thanks

[ttompatz]

[CBP]

The two bank accounts thing is shady stuff. Read up on it ... there are at least three threads on the topic. Don't open that second account, no matter what. If money disappears from that account, you can get in serious trouble, even if you're innocent. They're trying to hide money. It's called laundering and it's illegal. I wouldn't even consider working for an operation that asks their teachers to do that.

[princess]

Just don't do it!!! Especially if this after-school deal is ran by a guy named Jack!

[Real Reality]

Korea Fails to Shed Corrupt Image
By Kim Tong-hyung, Korea Times (October 4, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200610/kt2006100417505611990.htm

Ex-pats Describe Korea's Culture of Corruption
"Koreans always seem prepared to give out bribes. I was shocked by the culture and attitude of Koreans who feel no guilt despite breaking the law."
by Kim Hong-jin, Chosun Ilbo (December 16, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200412/200412160027.html

A Country of Liars
"The three representative crimes of our country are perjury, libel and fraud."
by Kim Dae-joong, Chosun Ilbo (July 3, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507030027.html

Rotten to the Core?
According to a recent survey, as many as 90 percent of Korea's youth think they live in a country that's corrupt, and a considerable number of them say they're ready to join the club if the occasions calls for it later in life.
Chosun Ilbo (October 9, 2003)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200310/200310080034.html

Corrupt Professors Common, Students Say
by Baek Il-hyun and Kim Ho-jeong, JoongAng Daily (April 28, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200504/27/200504272214239309900090409041.html

Scandals Rock Schools
by Chung Ah-young, Korea Times (February 25, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200502/kt2005022518253910230.htm

[Juregen]

At least some koreans are not afraid to write about the rampant corruption.

[poet13]

GO FOR IT! Check YOUR second account every day. When it hits 20,000,000 won, grab the cash and run. After all, it's YOUR account, right?

[JeJuJitsu]

Corruption in Korea is a blessing if you know how to work it--want to get to the #1 coveted teaching spot on your list?

Hand the interviewer an envelope with 100K to guarantee the job.

[Real Reality]

South Korea ranked 42nd out of 163 countries surveyed in the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for this year, a two-step fall from last year, Transparency International (TI) reported yesterday. TI is a non-government organization committed to fighting corruption.... South Korea's transparency ranking among 30 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) marked 23rd, moving down from 22nd last year.... "South Korea's stagnant status in the transparency index is largely attributable to a string of corruption scandals involving social leaders that occurred in the past years, leaving a negative impression on society," Kim Sang-geun, chief of TI Korea, said during a press briefing in central Seoul.

He also pointed out that the government-led anti-corruption campaign has appeared to fail in getting across to the public in an effective way.
By Jung Sung-ki, Korea Times (November 6, 2006)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200611/kt2006110617583211990.htm

[Roch]

[kat2]

In Korea bank accounts can only haev one name. So only one person has access. Whatever the public school was putting into thata ccount, you wouldn't have access too. I suggest you go the public school route. Public schools are also a little more likely to let you work a part time job at a night hogwan if you really want to rake in the cash. I've worked 2 hogwans (both totally shady) and am now at a public school. Sometiems I wonder what the hell I was doing at those hogwans.

[venus]

I know someone who did the two bank accounts thing. It is illegal, but he had no probs and the job was a walk in the park. If you do get caught, the powers that be will assume you know nothing about it and you will not lose anything except, perhaps, having to look for a new job once your boss was shut down. I was considering it and every Korean I know, including a lawyer told me the same thing.

Main point is though, why get involved with an employer that is willing to break the law. How could you ever trust them?

Plus I know friends that came straight off the boat with no experience and only BA's and work at public schools and clear 2million PLUS (at least in gyeonggi) they usually pay you 150,000 towards bills and appartment fees.