Korean Job Discussion Forums

[RChrisman]

Hypothetically, what would happen if someone took a job at a school that pre-paid their flight over and decided not to teach once they arrived?

[The_Source]

[kprrok]

The ass clown who did that would also put more strain on the honest teachers here or looking to come here because fewer schools would be willing to pre-pay a flight because of the risk.

If you did this, you would be committing fraud (signing a contract and getting the VISA/ticket with no intention of following through on the contract) and would be forced to pay it back or risk criminal proceedings.

[laogaiguk]

That is stealing. It is done, but most people who do that then go to China or Japan where they don't pay the ticket. I have never heard of one who stayed here. Either way, even for Korea, that is dishonest.

[Teelo]

I once considered it, for a cheaper flight to China, but I'd have to pay for a korean visa and a set of documents for that...

[DrunkenMaster]

Hypothetically speaking, what would happen is that person would be an asshole.

[Teachurrrr]

RChrisman, your hypothetical question will rattle the cages of some people because of the unethical implication and possible future repercussions for teachers currently working in Korea or those who might in the future. Yet, we are in Korea where the unethical can sometimes be akin to an extreme sport.

Anyway, to answer your question, I think the outcome depends on what you plan to do "hypothetically" after you arrive.

1) If you took a job at a school (complete the visa paper chase, interview, etc), arrived on a pre-paid flight, then decided not to teach in lieu of working at another school in Korea, then you let your prospective school negotiate with your contracted school and see what happens. It's usually a matter of negotiation and compensation for your costs.

2) If you took a job at a school (complete the visa paper chase, interview, etc), arrived on a pre-paid flight, then decided not to teach at the school so you can hangout and/or do private lessons, I guess this might cause you some problems since you would be on a work visa through your contracted school and would have to leave the country, via Japan, and come back on a tourist visa. Also, you might have a negative report issued by your school to immigration which might make it difficult to get work visas in Korea in the future even if a school signs a contract with you.

3) If you took a job at a school (complete the visa paper chase, interview, etc), arrived on a pre-paid flight, then bailed to travel to another country, I don't think they can do anything to you except report it to immigration that their teacher left (did a runner which can be a common occurance here). Though this would be fraud, I don't think it would follow you outside Korea. Inside Korea, maybe or maybe not.

I don't know if this helps, but it's my best guess. Cheers!

[TeeBee]

[R-Seoul]

Didn�t someone once post on here about how he showed up at the airport and was met by an irate hagwan owner who mistook him for his own teacher, apparently the teacher in question had a pre-paid flight from the states with a stop over in Japan the guy then apparently got off in Tokyo and never took the onward flight to Korea.

[Evanzinho]

[Suwon23]

I don't understand how this is possible. Unlike Japan, in Korea your visa is tied to one employer. Even if you don't feel like working for them, you'd have to get a letter of release to get the job you really want. Bottom line you'd still have to pay the piper one way or another. Just using an employer for a plane ticket (i.e. visa) doesn't sound possible to me.

[sojourner1]

That's downright scamming to use a school for a free ticket to Asia and then up and leave them soon after arrival or just sneak off out of Korea.

It's not worth it. 1. A one way ticket home from Asia is not much less (if any) than a RT ticket to anywhere in Asia. 2. It's wrong to scam. 3. It destroys trust of those coming over to honestly teach and pay their dues to a contract.

[crusher_of_heads]

It is dishonest, but not nearly as scumbag asshole quality as hagwons firing people 11 months in-I would not do it, but if you do

Wonderland
SLP

But, when coming to Rome, don't do as the Romans do!

[lebowski]

Did you read the thread about the guy that has to pay back half of the airfare if he leaves before the 9 month mark. This is because of jerk offs like yourself. I can't believe you even ask this question. Do you have any moral values whatsoever?

[Zaria32]

One of the things that would happen is that you would prove to yourself, and to everyone you told, that you are dishonest and without honor.