Korean Job Discussion Forums

winterwawa · Joined: 06 May 2007

I know, it looks like a stupid question, but please read on.

My wife and I seperated in November 2007. She left Korea and moved to Sydney. I contacted an American lawyer in Seoul about getting a divorce. He told me that the firm he worked for would handle trhe divorce and that since my wife was the one who left that I would probably get a settlement for about 30 million won. So I paid the law firm almost 4 million won and they began the proceedings. However, we withdrew the case in October because my wife could not be located to be served the papers for the divorce.

I talked to my lawyers at that time and they told me that we could wait for a while and refile later. The American lawyer told me that as long as I was married I should be able to keep my F-2 VISA and that since I had no plans of getting remarried that the best plan of action was to just wait. So, I took his advice and, as I said, we stopped the divorce proceedings. I was also assured at that time that I would only have to pay the filing fees of 250,000 won when I decided to continue with the divorce.

Friday, I found out that the American attorney has changed firms and no longer works for the firm handling my divorce. So, I went into the firm's office to discuss the case with the Korean lawyer who was working on the case. I was informed that, since we can't find my wife, and that since she has no assets in Korea, that they don't want my case anymore. In short, since the are not going to be able to get more money they are no longer interested in handling my divorce. The Korean lawyer told me the best thing for me to do is to find my wife and get an uncontested divorce.

The problem is that, I still don't know where she is. And even if I could find her, she could demand money for signing the divorce papers. Plus, it is now likely that immigration will not allow me to keep my F-2 VISA since they are now requiring the spouce be present at the immigration office when the VISA is renewed.

So my question is this, how the hell can I get a divorce when I don't know where my wife is? Is there a simple solution that isn't going to cost me an arm and a leg?

DaeguKid · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Daegu

hey bro...tough situation...if i were you I would ignore her as she is ignoring you. Role the dice and hope to get the F2 without her there. Say she is overseas working or something dumb.
If they don't renew it, welcome back to E2 world. Just make sure that your divorce is final in America, where it count for you down the road.

Sorry about your troubles...but something tells me when she returns to Korea she will have more issues to deal with than you.
Good luck

Pooty · Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Location: Ela stin agalia mou

1. Private dectective

2. Mafia

skconqueror · Joined: 31 Jul 2005

Do you have an Korean Friends (women)... just get one to go in with you.. she doesn't have to say she is your wife (they will just assume it). They never ask my wife any personal questions or ask to see her id when we renewed last time.

waywardwanderer · Joined: 04 Dec 2005

Here are 50 suggestions:
http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=91euERWH2M4

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

You can get a divorce done in Guam, and have it internationally recognized.

Seriously. Check into it.

Tommy · Joined: 24 Aug 2005

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce_mill

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

http://www.divorceinteractive.com/guam.asp

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

http://guamdivorces.com/FAQnrd.htm#2a

Geckoman · Joined: 07 Jun 2007

It is common knowledge that Guam, USA, is the place for a quick and easy divorce. Guam is known as the divorce mill of the Pacific.

Cool

winterwawa · Joined: 06 May 2007

Thanks for the replies, but the REAL problem is not that I can't get divorced, it is that I already paid 3.5mil won to an attorney in Seoul who was supposed to get me divorced, but because my wife has no visable assests they want to drop the case or make me pay more money. The money part is the real problem.

Even if I go to Guam I will still have to hire another attorney and pay for lodging and meals while waiting for the divorce. 90 days in Guam would get pretty pricey, not to mention the lost income while I am there.

What I was hoping to hear is that I could get the divorce by filing the papers myself rather than using an attorney, but I guess that isn't possible. So I guess I will have to find a new lawyer.

byunhosa · Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Location: Center Ice

Geckoman · Joined: 07 Jun 2007

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

As I read the Guam thing, if he doesn't have approval from his wife (which is the situation...she disappeared) then he'll have to establish residency before he gets the divorce. There was a caveat in there, though... a lot of things are up to the judge. It could possibly happen earlier (guess) if he can prove she ran off.

In any case, he's already out a chunk of money from the lawyers.