Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ice Tea]

Okay, maybe someone can fill me in here.

You know the blind subway beggars. The ones that slowly march down the subway aisles with a basket in one hand, a walking stick in the other, and a cheesy radio around their neck, playing some depressing lyric-less melody.

Here's the thing I don't get. How can their be some many blind people doing the exact same thing? They're blind right? It's not like they can see other blind people doing it and decide they want to do that too. I mean most of them have the same damn radio!! That's more than a coincidence. And where do they get this music? And who teaches them to walk in the same exact, depressing manner.

For me it's all too coincidental. There must be someone behind all of this, teaching these blind people how to beg, like a blind beggar pimp, who is skimming off the top of what they pull in.

Are these people really so hard up they need to degrade themselves in front of all of society? Is there an organization behind this? Does anyone here have any inside information on these people?

[okokok]

They make good coin.

[NoExplode]

They are North Korean spies, silly.

[KAMAKAZI]

Well, I see the same beggars daily on green line. Some of them arent totally blind, some are acting a bit and others kinda half-blind or something. I watch them sometimes when they reach the end subway. They definety work together. Sometimes when one gets off, another comes on

[coralreefer_1]

I have always heard that these people are basically slaves for Korean gangs. Same with the guys that roll themselves belly-down on a cart supposedly with no legs...that they also report to gang members.

When I first came to Korea and was studying massage and physical therapy in a small hospital, one of the other young men that worked in that clinic was a gang member and related to me that many beggars (whether willingly or not) submitted most if not all of their earnings to gang members. At that time I did not really believe him (being American it was hard for me to fathom a gangster wearing a cheap suit and snapping his fingers) Looking back, I would say he surely fits the profile, and I would imagine that his info was accurate.

I have seen dark-suited men carrying on lengthy conversations with the "legless" beggars that hang around the Donga department store here in Daegu. That may not say much, but then again it could say alot.

My guess is that there is some organization behind many, but I can guess some of them are genuine. Either way, I always give them change in my pockets if I see them.

[seoulsucker]

I stopped giving money to them after one dude did a double-take at my shaved head when I took of my hat.

[Bibbitybop]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Xuanzang]

Organized crime begging...wow.

[Easter Clark]

Next time, check to see if they're wearing a watch...

I was thinking, if they make 1,000 won per car, that's 12,000 won. They can easily do that in half an hour. So you figure they're pulling in 20,000+ / hour. Not bad for acting blind and carrying a cane. Where do I sign up?

[CasperTheFriendlyGhost]

I've seen plenty go through a car without anyone flipping them so much as a coin. They are much less fortunate than we are.