Korean Job Discussion Forums

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Two native speaking teachers in my little town have not arrived. One was to replace a teacher who left last year - and another was to be a new teacher at a school that hasn't previously had a NET.

My wrangler said these schools were expecting 'Americans' - but they didn't arrive. She then asked me if I was losing money through the falling won. I am, and I told her that every month my wages here are declining, and that "That's not good".

Does anyone else know of similar NO Show stories??? Personally, if I was American, I sure wouldn't fly halfway around the world (and back in time), to work for current won-dollar wages.

semi-fly · Joined: 07 Apr 2008

I doubt it's just a EPIK issue. Countless posters have told similar stories even when the won wasn't tanking. I would be surprised if your "wrangler" didn't know the state of the won to other currency as there seems to be a story about its value every couple of days.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Hmmm. My wrangler had just been speaking to the POE about another issue for me, so I think she'd have got this NO Show info from them.

I'd say that they could be a few teachers short this year.

PeterDragon · Joined: 15 Feb 2007

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

I heard EPIK had record numbers arrive. But, that could be Korean offices of education starting rumors to save face.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

It's a problem but, unfortunately for our bargaining power, is one that's being off-set by rising unemployment in western countries, especially amongst recent graduates.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:30 pm Post subject:

Every time the principal & v.p. are behind my desk, I click on XE.com and pull up the exchange rates. When the USD-KRW 'page' appears, I suck (loudly) on my incisors and utter a 110 decible "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaak". Laughing

There's something to be said for 'pre-neogotiation' when it comes to contract renewal. Wink

TBirdMG · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: SF, CA, USA

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away....I was in the first EPIK class of 1996-97 pre-IMF. Believe it or not, our contracts were written in US$.

We were paid, of course, in won, but the amount fluctuated a bit every month according to the exchange rate on pay day, which was usually the last Friday of every month. So I was assured that within a narrow band of +/- a few %, I could save and send home the same amount every month. As long as living costs in Korea didn't change, I was fine.

In August 2007, I declined a 2nd year contract as I was placed in the boondocks 2 hours outside Seoul and my transfer request was refused. I was well liked by my school principal and VP, but I once turned down an invitation to go fishing with a BOE supervisor, and it would eventually be my undoing....

There was another teacher on the other side of the same town with an MA in education (stronger credentials than mine at the time), and his transfer to Suwon got approved. This was before the GEPIK/EPIK split.

Anyways, by November, the IMF crisis had reached Korea, and the exchange rate had imploded from roughly 900 to 2000+ in a few short weeks. I was already back home working again and just had to shake my head.....

As soon as the 'fit hit the shan,' my old comrade's (now in Suwon) contract was canceled and he was given an advance month's pay and a ticket home. The district asked him to take a severe pay cut, and when he refused, they axed him. At the time, all PS teachers suffered through a 30% salary reduction, as did most other public employees.

It was a classic East meets West interpretation of contracts. My friend's primary motivation was to earn and save for the future. He had a firm 1 year renewal contract that stated his salary was pegged to the US$, and when the Board of Education refused to honor it, he wouldn't budge. So the BOE, realizing that the cost of this foreign teacher had just increased by more than 120%, did the most logical thing. They refused to honor the rest of his contract, even though he was a good teacher and did everything his schools asked of him. At first, they just let him go, told him to go back to the USA without any sort of additional compensation.

He held his position and the BOE ended up giving him 2 years of severence pay for 15 months service (back then still referred to as bonus pay) and a one way ticket to the USA.

Within months, he found a job working in Guam as a certified HS teacher. Ahhh, such is life.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:32 pm Post subject:

bundangbabo · Joined: 01 Jun 2008

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:00 am Post subject:

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Interesting comments. Thanks.
My take on this situation is: Korea is a manufacturing nation - it's got nothing else bringing in overseas exchange. Sadly, for Korea (and Japan etc), nobody in the Western markets is buying (they simply don't have the cash for discretionary consumer spending - and they're not likely to have it for a few years). So I don't believe that Korea can continue to spend 180 trillion won on English education - in it's present form.

So until yesterday, I thought Korea would be letting teachers go - or trying to reduce their salaries (like my recent overtime cut, $4,300 pa).

But yesterday I met some young USA teachers - and they're clearing over 3 mil a month. What's up with that? Is Korea increasing pay rates to attract new USA teachers - or were they BStting?

PS: I agree with the poster about 'pre-negotiation'. I used the "This town is awfully quiet " trick for 3 months (and my school gave me a 2 month vacation).

Any other comments appreciated.

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005