Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brandon adams]

As the March 15th deadline is looming and after giving much thought to the rationale behind the inconsistent new regulations of the E-2 visa, I cannot but give more credence to the all-pervasive conspiracy theory that these regulations are primarily intended to destroy the English hagwons, a constant thorn in the side of the present left-leaning administration.
Following are the reasons which re-enforce this conspiracy theory in my mind:

a) These new regulations have been imposed ONLY on E-2 visa holders. If the Korean government were serious and sincere about protecting students from any potential criminal offenders, they would have implemented these regulations across the board.
All teachers, Koreans or foreigners, regardless of their status or visa category would have been subjected to the same regulations. As it stands now, it seems that only E-2 visa holding teachers are considered a potential danger to students. Is there any logic to the
assumption that a different visa category ensures non-criminality? Where is the common sense here?
� unless there is a hidden agenda!

b) The three-month �grace period� has been provided to enable public schools to fill their teaching vacancies. This is why this �grace period� ends on March 15th, shortly after the beginning of the new academic year.
My question is: If there could be a �grace period� for three months, why not longer, to enable also hagwons to get their teachers?
In most advanced countries, much longer time is provided for new legislative enactments.

c) I would like to give more credit to the intelligence of Korean government officials who enact legal rules and regulation than what we have seen thus far. A question that lingers in my mind is how could these officials implement such major changes in such an ad-hoc manner, namely, requiring CRC�s without prior consultation with other governments that are expected to be issuing them? Finding out the logistics and time frames required to process CRC�s should be a prerequisite to such an implementation.
It seems, therefore, that it was done with pre-mediation to make it very difficult or even impossible for most teachers to renew their E-2 visa past the March 15th deadline.
Creating a teacher shortage may force many hagwons out of business.

d) DRUG TESTS. How effective can these drug tests be in stemming out drug use? All one needs to do is refrain from taking drugs prior to the test and resume their consumption after the test. The only effective way would be to conduct such tests randomly and unannounced. Can and will it be done? No! So what�s the point of it all?
� unless there is a hidden agenda!

e) Why haven�t the bureaucrats given any credit to teachers who have lived in Korea as law-abiding members of society for many years? Isn�t this a better indication of their good moral character and trustworthiness than a piece of paper so-called CRC?

All in all, when one thinks about the above, one cannot but be sceptical of the official Korean Immigration Service ludicrous claim that the prime purpose of these changes to the E-2 visa regulations is to protect Korean students from potentially dangerous FOREIGN English teachers.

IS IT JUST A THEORY, OR A REAL CONSPIRACY ? YOU BE THE JUDGE!


If members of the incoming administration responsible for immigration policies don�t adjust or modify the new regulations to enable bona-fide foreign English teachers to remain in Korea, than all their talk about promoting English education in this country is just window-dressing.

Let�s wait and see.

[chachee99]

Korea is the testing grounds for the NWO

[roknroll]

a) because it's a knee-jerk reaction to a former E2 visa holder.
b) reasonable enough time for getting the new docs, of course belatedly after heedlessly trying to implement it on Dec. 15th.
c) nope, just the korean manner of implementing changes. although the new gov't wants to reduce the need for Ks to spend money on private ed.
d) this argues against your point above in c-->they're not that smart.
e) see d above. also, don't impose logic upon these officials.

Conc:
Kimmy and the gov't at large at least need the perception of protecting the students.

The only conspiratorial aspect is diminishing the need for hakwons and increasing the effectiveness of the public system. And it's not a conspiracy because EMP (LMP? LMB?) has explicitly stated this over and over (no secret=no conspiracy).

TO THE CONTRARY, EMP wants to replace the current tests with toefl testing and among other things will probably increase the competitiveness and the reliance on private ed in the short and mid-term. In the long-term, there'll probably be nothing new under the morning calm sky in korea. After all, he only has 4 or 5 years and when they realize the K teachers can't speak English anymore proficiently---throw the hands up.

So, maybe the REAL CONSPIRACY is to increase the power of hakwons and demoralize the K teachers in public schools!!!

[hari seldon]

[brandon adams]

If EMP wants to enhance the importance of Toefl and Toeic, wouldn't it require seasoned teachers to do it? The current visa policy is both driving experienced teachers out of Korea and discouraging new ones from coming here. Who will be able to do it? Korean teachers who cannot even communicate in English properly? Isn't Toefl IBT all about expression and communication? Isn't it ironic?

I can't understand, why they are so indifferent to losing long-term experienced teachers and replacing them with neophytes.

Wouldn't it make more sense if long-term teachers were given credit for their long-term law abiding residence and encouraged to stay here in order to help implement the new English education plans?

Maybe I'm not being realistic and should accept the premise that the Korean mindframe is "unique".

MIND BOGGLING!

[Biblethumper]

[laogaiguk]

[cbclark4]

You should try to be more economical with your words.

Yes the Gov. would like the Hogwans to go away.

The regulations were somewhat in force within EPIK at least last year
where I was required to get a CRC and Medical report, these were not
required at Hogwans where I was interviewed.

[The_Conservative]

[Zyzyfer]

It's not just the E-2s that were affected. E-7s were changed radically.

While I do believe they're trying to hit the hakwon industry hard, I doubt it could be called a conspiracy theory.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I didn't read the OP.

[Kimchieluver]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[rhinocharge64]

I didn't know there has been changes regarding E7. Renewed my E7 back in Jan. and it took 15 mins to do. No additional requirements were requested so that's news to me. Perhaps because it was a renewal is the reason why I did not have to suffer!!

[roknroll]