Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Derrek]

Thanks guys. That gives me some stuff to think on. I am guessing that they are going to limit my comments to the e-mail issue, or perhaps a few sound-bytes only. If they let me go on longer, then I'll have some more ideas to chat about.

[keithinkorea]

[Ya-ta Boy]

My 2 cents:

Korea has a perfect geographical location to be a major hub. The desire to be a hub is laudable and a worthy goal.

In my opinion, there are two big stumbling blocks to developing itself.

One is the rampant disregard for the law at all levels of society. Police don't enforce simple traffic laws. Anti-corruption campaigns come and go. What few are caught and jailed end up pardoned in a few months. Even banks I've dealt with don't know what the law is.

The second problem is the lack of a meritocracy. In far too many instances people gain positions because of school, friends or relatives, not because of their expertise. There is a prevalent belief here that anyone can do anything, without training or education in that area. It leads to incompetence and inefficiency.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Sure it can happen, and I can give you the exact date and time in fact:

Never o'clock on the impossiblth day of the won't happen month in the year dream on ...

Too many Koreans here ...

[Real Reality]

The ethics law for government officials, which has many loopholes and inefficiencies, should be more strictly applied.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200410/01/200410012150392079900090109011.html

Falling Birthrate Silently Dims South Korea's Future
By Shim Sun-ah
Housing is very expensive in South Korea, costing at least US$150,000 for a modest two-bed room apartment.
http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20041003/300100000020041003091823EP.html

[mithridates]

To be a hub they should encourage immigration along with Korean language education for foreigners. It's much easier to hire an immigrant that has become fluent in Korean from another country than to try to find a Korean employee who knows the language. I'm not just talking about English here, nor Japanese, but more like French, Portuguese (??), various languages from India, Arabic and so on.

Another obvious thing already mentioned: remove the registration number system for signing up on-line. I've gotten almost 350 signatures for my petition already and if anybody hasn't signed yet I encourage you to do so. Click on the link below.

Another thing they need before they become a hub is peace with N. Korea. Young men have to spend over two years of their prime in the army. That age is generally the best time to study, play in a band, travel, etc. and every man I know complains about how much they forget over the two years. I've met many people who have come back from the army saying that they used to be smart but spent too much time just being a soldier and now it's time to finish up university and get a job...once peace with the North is established people will be able to take the train to Russia or China. As things are now it's about 240 000W for a plane ticket to Shanghai and back, but if you could take a train through the North it would be about 8 hours and maybe some 30, 50 000W to get into Dandong or Shenyang. It also feels different knowing that there's another country a few hours away by train. Korea still feels like an island, because technically that's what it is.

[Mashimaro]

Maybe this was mentioned earlier (mithridates touched on it)
Korea should be encouraging people to study the language and it's culture.

Instead most people are left with you are left with the options of working in a hagwon on a work visa and studying in your spare time (very difficult) or studying full time on a student visa and perhaps doing illegal work.

I would love to continue studying korean or korean studies full time at a Korean university but the visa regulations just make it too difficult. Plus you are left with the feeling of why bother devoting all my time and money to study korean when the government is clearly obstructing people from doing so.

Yes I know they introduced some new rule where you can do highly restricted work legally after studying at a korean university for 1 year. This doesn't cover korean language institutes though and it should.

Also before the rest of the world treats korea as important they have to see themselves as important. I'm sure everyone here studying the language has met with some confused koreans asking "why are you bothering to learn korean?" If this is the low esteem they hold themselves in it is futile to expect outsiders to respect the place.

[jaebea]

No chance.

Kiwiboy hit the nail on the head.. "Never o'clock".

Every point made on this thread seems to suggest that no matter how grandoise the plans, how willing the administration, it won't happen for quite a while.

By that time, Shanghai will take over quite comfortably, in what is arguably a better location, more moderate climates, and more importantly, a general atmosphere that attracts foreign investment.

Don't get me wrong, what little national pride I have in me would be swelled if Seoul does get anywhere near it's much longed-for title, but I wouldn't bet anything on it.

People who post here have more than a passing attachment to this country, whether through employment, family or a combination of such factors. And even then, we hit a limit where we'd love to just say "why?".

Imagine the passing corporate suit who will try to spend a few days in Seoul while moving between HQ's in Tokyo and Hong Kong. We can only smile and shake our heads.. :)

jae.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

And I don't say that cause I simply hate Korea and Koreans. I would really like to see this place do well. I just don't think it's possible for a long long time. And for me it's not about logistics of location, or lack of good scenery, or whatever. I think it's just because of the mindset of the average Korean. I'm not saying they hate foreigners, I just think they see us as profoundly alien. And they are way too proud about Korean ways of doing things, and that stops them from learning important stuff from foreigners that could really help them.

At the end of the 19th century Japan encountered the might of Brittish shipping. Thier response was to send envoys to Europe to study and learn about politics, industry, government, construction, administration etc. They too were an extremely proud if not arrogant country, but they realised they had something to learn from the west. We can all see the results, as Japan became a major player on the world scene. Pride is simply the key problem here in Korea, followed by corruption, and the speed over quality attitude in construction.

[J.B. Clamence]

"Hub of Asia" to me implies a place which is very cosmopolitan with an international focus. That is certainly not Korea. There is no way Korea can compete with the real Hubs of Asia, like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. Some examples:

1. International cuisine is abismal here. There is extremely little of it, and even what exists is mediocre at best.

2. Foreigners are not welcome here the same way that they are in the real Hubs of Asia. "Oh look, waygoosaram! waygooksaram!" And society and its customs are simply not geared towards welcoming foreigners the way that a place called "the Hub of Asia" would have to.

3. Korea is not the kind of place where foreigners can get around easily. Even in the US, where we speak the most widely spoken language on earth, if you buy an electronic device, you are going to get a manual in 10 different languages. I have bought a TV, a stereo, a DVD player, and
a cell phone since I've been here. Every manual has been 100% Korean.

Those are just a few I came up with at the top of my head. There is much more.

[Koreabound2004]

I had always heard that Hong Kong was the hub of Asia....definitely wouldn't be SK.

[peppermint]

Right now, Koreans are at best, tolerant of other Asians in thier country. I think to really become a hub, they need to be downright welcoming.

[jazblanc77]

[dogbert]

Not that it makes that much difference in terms of reality, but FWIW, the claim is that Korea is to become the Hub of Northeast Asia.

[dogbert]