Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sadebugo1]

Let me set the stage . . . I am a man working at a language institute in Korea. For the last several months, one of my co-workers has been sexually harrassing female teachers and adult female students. When confronted with this by the other teachers, this teacher denied that he was harrassing anyone. Even when his observed comments and actions were repeated to him, he denied (with a straight face) that he had said/done these things. The next step was to report him to the director of the hagwon. Of course, this didn't work as the director has such a difficult time finding teachers as it is. So, about one month has passed since the 'intervention' and yet the teacher's behavior has failed to improve. If anything, he has become even more brazen and defiant!

So, my question is what would you do to solve this problem short of doing something illegal? I am so sick and tired of watching these women suffer at the hands of this psycho! Also, I hate the stereotype of the western male that this guy is reinforcing. Please, give me a solution!

Thanks for any input . . .

[sparkx]

Maybe you can clarify exactly what the guy is doing...Not to question your honesty are anything there man but in this country that line is pretty fuzzy. Many teachers come from ultra PC cities where a comment about the attractiveness of a co-worker merits sexual harassment.

[Sadebugo1]

[Blue Flower]

I don't have any practical advice to give, other than smacking him over, but I do commend you for your attempts to try and reason with him, and also for caring enough about how the women are feeling. That is a very big thing. I give you a double thumbs up for that!!!

[weatherman]

I know it might be pretty serious over there, but do as the Koreans in this case, and let time and his own actions take cafe of him. Give the Koreans more credit with noticing and being bothered by him. If he is the jerk you say he is, he will hang himself in this society. If he doesn't hang himself, then what he is doing might seem ok to Koreans. I know, for I work with a pretty questionable guy myself, and I don't really like this actions, but he stays around and gets rehired. Different culture that is all I can say.

[Sadebugo1]

[W.T.Carl]

This guys borish behavior might get him fired in the States. However, you aren't in the States. One good thing about Korea is that PC isn't important. What you might find offensive may not be considered offensive in Asia ( or anywhere else in the real world) If they guy acts like an ass, call him on it, but don't expect the powers that be to do anything about it. Remember that you aren't in Kansas anymore.

[Sadebugo1]

[mokpochica]

I guess I caught this thread kind of late, but I wanted to put in my $0.02. There are brochures that detail the sexual harassment law in Korea and offer practical advice for what to do. If you contact a tourist information place or the Korea Women's Association, you should be able to get your hands on them.
http://www.kaws.or.kr/english/link.html

You might want to give a few to your director (in Korean) and have some lying around on a desk to 'inform' other people, including the harasser. Actually, if I remember correctly, some of the pamphlets are in both Korean and English so they should be understandable by all. This could help a little in preventing future situations and informing all about the laws and reporting processes.

[Sadebugo1]

[Paddycakes]

Agreed. This kind of unprofessional behavior must be stopped. As someone takes maintaining a professional atmosphere in the classroom all times, I must say I am deeply shocked and saddened by what I'm hearing here.

Signed,
Paddy Cakes

[itaewonguy]

have a teachers meeting without him.. tell all the girls to WANGTA HIM!!
that will help that situation...and even ask some of the woman teachers to tell him off, shoot him down in someways, make him feel stupid..
that will stop him from pursuing the female teachers because he knows their is no point..
about the female students well thats a SERIOUS issue..
you guys need to sort that out if its getting bad in anyway, maybe of you guys need to put him aside and tell him..mucking arund with teenagers is sick!! and wrong!!

[Medic]

Could be that the guy has a record, and is over here for reasons other than to teach. Is he totally blasie when you confront him? If he is he's got big problems. You can't and mustn't let him touch your students. That's a no no. Those kids come with the blessing of their parents, and having trust in you guys as native English speakers. He's dragging us all down. The institute owner aint much either from your description of him. Aren't any of you guys offended enough to smash him over the head with a brick. He's nothing but a predator.

[Anda]

Get a number of the Western staff members to write up letters of resignation and hand them in together to your boss, then you will see action.

[Sadebugo1]