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Volunteer At Own Risk
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jangsalgida

Joined: 11 Jan 2006

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:31 pm Post subject:

poet13 wrote:

I read most of the links, and some other threads as well.

I have yet to hear or read of actual instances (other than the Pusan 9) where foreigners were jacked for volunteering....

A Foreigner who starred/was in "The Host," got deported(I think he had a teaching/E-2 visa). The Host is/was one of the most popular/highest earning Korean movies ever(other than D-War), but the male actor got his arse kicked out of the country. KOREA SPARKLING!

The entertainment company who hired him...slap on the wrist at the most.

Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:40 pm Post subject:

ernie wrote:

then why did they sell tickets? who was the money supposed to go to?

The Koreans sold the tickets, not the foreigners. It doesn't matter what the Koreans want to do with their money as long as they weren't paying the foreigners.

purple_buddha

Joined: 18 Apr 2003

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject:

igotthisguitar wrote:

Quote:

Volunteer At Own Risk
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
By Spencer McCall

If you�re an English teacher thinking of heading down to Mallipo beach to help clean up Korea�s worst ever oil spill, don�t let your goodwill get the better of you or you might just be deported. Unless you fill out the proper form and pay a certain fee, the Korean government would much rather you stay home.

There are rules for foreigners volunteering, and the rules mean paying for offering a free service.

As surprising as it sounds, under the Immigration Control Act of Korea, � ... it is punishable that you [a foreigner] engage in the activities beyond your current visa status without permission� from the Ministry of Justice. This includes volunteering, not just at the oil spill disaster, but also for any work or event outside of the school that is sponsoring your E2 visa. The documents you require to volunteer include:

A travel document (passport)
Alien Registration Card
Application forms (downloadable from http://www.immigration.go.kr/)

Fees (60,000 won) Shocked

The government crackdown on volunteering extends far beyond the recent natural disaster relief effort, a particular event that has drawn dozens of English teachers to the beach in a genuine gesture of goodwill.

Posted by Korea Jim at 4:01 PM

Labels: danger, government, illegal, immigration, Korea, Spencer McCall, teacher reputation, visa, warning

http://esldaily.blogspot.com/2007/12/volunteer-at-own-risk.html

Don't believe everything you read. According to an MOJ official, people on E-2's can go and help in the cleanup efforts on the west coast without paying 60,000 won or filling out form(s). Additionally, E-2 visa work restrictions only apply to the solicitation or sale of English language services, not to bona fide volunteering in other areas. MOJ and immigration DO NOT CARE ABOUT ANY VOLUNTEER WORK OUTSIDE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING.

While I sympathize with all the bitterness floating around regarding the latest E-2 visa changes, please get your facts straight before posting someone's blog/rant as official Korean policy. YOU WILL NOT BE FINED AND/OR DEPORTED FOR VOLUNTEERING TO CLEAN UP at Mallipo Beach unless you're caught teaching Korean volunteers English lessons for profit.

Perhaps some folks are just paranoid that their presence at the cleanup site will be interpreted as greedy foreigners trying to make money off of a tragic event. Like immigration is going to show up with paddy wagons, round up, and cart off any foreigners there. Laughable.

Michelle

Joined: 18 May 2003

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject:

purple_buddha wrote:

igotthisguitar wrote:

Quote:

Do we all have to call immigration? Or how can we be sure of this?

Michelle

Joined: 18 May 2003

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:54 pm Post subject:

[quote="Michelle"]

purple_buddha wrote:

igotthisguitar wrote:

Quote:

I think I will take the risk. Can you see the headlines?

Foriegners arrested/deported for helping to assist with environmental disaster

ED209

Joined: 17 Oct 2006

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject:

There are no facts.

Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:11 pm Post subject:

purple_buddha wrote:

igotthisguitar wrote:

Quote:

Don't forget public performances.

purple_buddha

Joined: 18 Apr 2003

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:05 pm Post subject:

Michelle wrote:

Quote:

Do we all have to call immigration? Or how can we be sure of this?

Quote:

I think I will take the risk. Can you see the headlines?

Foriegners arrested/deported for helping to assist with environmental disaster

ED209 wrote:

Quote:

There are no facts.

http://news.empas.com/show.tsp/cp_kt/20070109n11184/?kw=stamp%20%3Cb%3E%26%3C%2Fb%3E

http://esldaily.blogspot.com/2007/12/volunteer-at-own-risk.html

The facts are these: 1) neither one of these articles mentions people being arrested/fined/deported for volunteering to help cleanup at Mallipo Beach; the first article (empas) is referenced in the second article, which is a blog and not 'news'. It is pure conjecture on the author's part. If you volunteer to help, you may be at risk with immigration.

2) My wife, who's Korean, called MOJ this morning after reading this thread. She asked very pointed questions about E-2 visa holders volunteering to help in the restoration of Mallipo Beach. She also asked about the restrictions of the visa in reference to volunteering in general, including having to fill out forms and pay 60,000 won. (I listened in on the conversation, but I have every reason to lie about what I heard. Rolling Eyes

)

The official with whom she spoke refuted everything detailed in the original post. If you're not sure, then call immigration or the ministry of justice and ask. Maybe if enough po'd foreigners inquire about this subject, MOJ will issue a public statement to put all our minds at ease. Wink

Roch

Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:40 pm Post subject:

purple_buddha wrote:

igotthisguitar wrote:

Quote:

Wasn't there an eager beaver thingy from one of the immigration offices going around sayin' that we'd all be thrown out of our lovely Korean homes and shite for even citin' the renowned Hawthorne and Kerouac at the, eh, local pahks?

Gimme sum clarification he-uh.

R

stevemcgarrett

Joined: 24 Mar 2006

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject:

igotthisguitar warned us:

Quote:

If you�re an English teacher thinking of heading down to Mallipo beach to help clean up Korea�s worst ever oil spill, don�t let your goodwill get the better of you or you might just be deported. Unless you fill out the proper form and pay a certain fee, the Korean government would much rather you stay home. There are rules for foreigners volunteering, and the rules mean paying for offering a free service. As surprising as it sounds, under the Immigration Control Act of Korea

No, it's only surprising to those who post here who naively believe that the Korean government actually appreciates foreign support enough to facilitate it. They don't and never will because, as another posted noted, they're too proud, too obstinate, and too cheap. This is yet another reason why I don't plan to remain here any longer than I must. While I don't expect to be catered to; I do expect to be treated as a guest, especially when the guest is willing to "help out in the kitchen," metaphorically speaking. But the government wants us to eat in the side room next to the kitchen like household slaves.

My only question to Immigration is this: Which of my two birds would you prefer that I flip? Or may I flip both birds?

Which brings me back to a question I posed before on this forum only to have it deleted after several posters gave defensive retorts:

Why would you want to work in any country where its government and most of its citizens do not seem to appreciate your efforts in the least?

Frankly, I'll take a lower salary in a developing nation grateful for my concern than a higher salary in an (almost) developed nation that wants to charge me a fee for my involvement.

Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject:

In the identical thread in general discussion, superdave posted this well-reasoned message. It deserves to be here, too.

Quote:

whether it's "enforced" or not, the law is there.

foreigners have got into trouble for volunteering in soup kitchens, doing plays and performances, concerts and gigs, all sorts of things.

despite your philanthropic desires, it's not worth getting involved in such things unless you're prepared to get official approval.

you might THINK it's ok ... but one korean will complain and then you're suddenly in a bunch of trouble.

it's not worth the risk. do it legally, or don't do it at all.

most foreigners don't know that it's illegal for non-residents to get involved in protests or demonstrations either. it's not our country, so even though we may have best intentions, it's safer to keep out of it.

soju pizza

Joined: 21 Feb 2007

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:21 am Post subject:

MODS! Make this a sticky!

superdave

Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: over there ----->

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:45 pm Post subject:

thanks bibbity ... but i think what i said is just logical. i mean, you'd think that volunteering would be ok. and sure, most people don't mind. however you can't guarantee that someone isn't going to be angered or offended by your participation. that's when you'll get into trouble. it only takes one complaint ... the same goes for demonstrations. read the rules that you agreed to on your visa. foreigners are not allowed to participate in political dissent. it's not our country. so even though we love helping others, it can cause problems. this doesn't just go for philanthropy either. foreigners have landed in trouble for all sorts of 'free' events, including concerts, performances, and stuff like that. don't get involved unless you're prepared to jump through the hoops and get the appropriate permissions.

Rumple

Joined: 19 Sep 2007

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:02 am Post subject: Re: Volunteer At Own Risk

igotthisguitar wrote:

Volunteer At Own Risk
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
By Spencer McCall

If you�re an English teacher thinking of heading down to Mallipo beach to help clean up Korea�s worst ever oil spill, don�t let your goodwill get the better of you or you might just be deported. Unless you fill out the proper form and pay a certain fee, the Korean government would much rather you stay home.

There are rules for foreigners volunteering, and the rules mean paying for offering a free service.

As surprising as it sounds, under the Immigration Control Act of Korea, � ... it is punishable that you [a foreigner] engage in the activities beyond your current visa status without permission� from the Ministry of Justice. This includes volunteering, not just at the oil spill disaster, but also for any work or event outside of the school that is sponsoring your E2 visa. The documents you require to volunteer include:

A travel document (passport)
Alien Registration Card
Application forms (downloadable from http://www.immigration.go.kr/)

Fees (60,000 won) :shock:

The government crackdown on volunteering extends far beyond the recent natural disaster relief effort, a particular event that has drawn dozens of English teachers to the beach in a genuine gesture of goodwill.

Posted by Korea Jim at 4:01 PM

Labels: danger, government, illegal, immigration, Korea, Spencer McCall, teacher reputation, visa, warning

http://esldaily.blogspot.com/2007/12/volunteer-at-own-risk.html

Okay, I got the official word from immigration, by posting a question on their Q&A site in English. Spencer McCall is a poor journalist, in my opinion, because his facts are all wrong (or maybe more accurate to say that facts are ABSENT from his article). This is the response from immigration, word for word:

http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html wrote:

welcome to the korea immigration website.

Generally speaking, alien registration card holders who want to engage in activities not covered by the status of stay should get permission for engaging in activities not covered by the status of stay.
in your case, if you want to help to clean up the recent oil spill as a volunteer, you don't need the permission of immigration office.
thank you.

So folks, you're cool. Come help if you want. And don't believe everything you read in the media.

Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:44 am Post subject: Re: Volunteer At Own Risk

Rumple wrote:

igotthisguitar wrote:

The government crackdown on volunteering extends far beyond the recent natural disaster relief effort, a particular event that has drawn dozens of English teachers to the beach in a genuine gesture of goodwill.

Posted by Korea Jim at 4:01 PM

Labels: danger, government, illegal, immigration, Korea, Spencer McCall, teacher reputation, visa, warning

http://esldaily.blogspot.com/2007/12/volunteer-at-own-risk.html

http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html wrote:

So folks, you're cool. Come help if you want. And don't believe everything you read in the media.

Thanks for posting that clarification.

I don't think the article in the newspaper was wrong. You just found newer info from immi's mouth. Immi still has no set guidelines, so I'd recommend all E-2 holders to inquire with immi about registering before volunteering anywhere.

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