Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Knucklehead]

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

Coffee shop staff will no longer be asked to take regular medical checkups.

An anti-corruption body recommended Friday that the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs revise the current law requiring employees working in health- and sanitation-related industries such as clubs selling alcohol, massage facilities and coffee shops to have regular medical checkup to see if they have sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Under the current scheme, employees working in espresso coffee shops and teashops are required to have a medical check every six months.

The health ministry was preparing for the revision bill last year in which it defined coffee shops as `` places that mainly makes and sells all kinds of coffees and teas.''

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said the term defined in the revision bill still includes espresso coffee shops and tea shops, which have nothing to do with prostitution and therefore the measure could infringe on their employees' rights.
The body recommended the health ministry specify the term into ``ticket-based coffee houses'' mostly located in small towns where employees who sell instant coffee are often involved in on-call basis prostitution.

The ministry adopted the revision recommendation for its bill.

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Er, logically, since us teachers have to get STD checks, they must consider hagwons and public schools places of prostitution.

[semi-fly]

In a way it is. You're selling yourself to the highest bidder...or as many Dave's posters have noted of late being scr.... by their employer.

[Troll_Bait]

Below is the URL, in case anyone's interested in the original article.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/01/113_37972.html

I seem to recall skepticism on the part of some posters when I mentioned that registered sex workers in Korea are required to have regular STD checks. Now they know.

[wylies99]

Coffee shop workers? Those ignorant sluts.

[Chris_Dixon]

Well actually since prostitution is illegal here you can buy 'coffee'. A lady brings around coffee thats outrageously overpriced and she stays for a few hours to make sure you enjoy it .


Guess they had to do a blanket law requiring the STD checks, rather than say just for the delivery side of things. Ever wondered what the spam is to your phone? Most the time its these 'coffee' places.

[sojusucks]

We're not allowed to protest so of course the STD tests are mandatory for foreign teachers, even though it is estimated that about half of Korean women have Hepatitis B and many have herpes (which isn't really considered an STD here because it isn't really lethal). Great huh.

Korea's motto: Do as I say and not as I do unless you are Korean (Hyphenated-Koreans are excluded).