Korean Job Discussion Forums

raketbaler · Joined: 14 Apr 2008

sorry I know this has been covered I just can't find anything really on it.

I never thought I would have to do a runner or why anyone does them. I found out exactly why with my current snake owned hagwon hell hole. I don't have any intention of working in korea again. Anyway, I would like to wait until this Monday when I get paid. As soon as I know the money is in my account I want to get up and leave. I have a place to stay for a few days until my flight. I heard you have 14 days to leave the country after your visa is cancelled by an employer. Is that true? Is there any laws I'm breaking?
I wouldn't do this if everything my boss told me to get me to sign the contract was true. However, it was all lies, from my pay, my hours, number of breaks, my airfare, ect.

what does anyone think about after I quit calling the students parents to basically say goodbye and to tell them why I'm leaving? I know the boss will make some story up himself to tell them.

thanks for any advice.

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

If I were you, I'd wait to make those phone calls till your back home. Who knows what your owner could say about you to immigration if you mess with him while your still in-country.

raketbaler · Joined: 14 Apr 2008

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Out of curiosity, why do you want to stay several days after you stop showing up to work? Why not just skip town right away? I don't think there are any laws your breaking, but I'd feel uncomfortable quitting and then hanging around. But I'm sure there are more experienced people here to help you, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

I agree with hockeyguy. It might not be any fun, but try sticking it out those last couple days and then just hightail it out right before your flight.

If you aren't going to follow the above advice, then at least have everything packed and moved out before he knows you are gone. If you are staying at a friend's, then bring it there. Be ready for your phone to be ringing off the hook.

cherrycoke · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Immigration can do absolutely nothing to detain you....UNLESS you are being investigated for a crime. If a person screwed the owner over by calling all the mothers and they decided to pull their kids from his school, he might cause problems. You'd be making him loose money, and lots of scumbag owners might want revenge by calling the authorities and saying something along the lines of "He stole from me!"

But if the owner knows you left (but your still in country) and you didn't try to call the mothers, I doubt they'd bother to hassle with trying to screw you. But as I asked before, why would anyone quit and stick around the country? If your going to leave a crooked hagwon, just leave. If you want to warn parents about the scumbag, do it when you get home so they can't mess with you.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

You can just leave. I don't think sticking around a few days after fleeing the hakwon is much of an issue --- unless you did leave some of your stuff behind, but I have no idea why you would...

I would recommend --- if you haven't done so already, don't tell any of your foreign co-workers your going or stop telling them the details. Why?

The less they know, the less trouble it might cause them with your boss...

It might not make a difference anyway if the boss is such a bad guy, but keeping the TESOLers from having to lie any more than they already have to is a good idea when pulling a runner....You can email later...

cherrycoke · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

the only reason anyone would stick around after quitting is to get their pension refund. From what I hear, the pension office actually calls your employer and then trouble may happen after that?

poeticjustice · Joined: 28 Feb 2009

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

You could always leave and then re-enter on a tourist visa.

maingman · Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Location: left Korea

raketbaler · Joined: 14 Apr 2008

thanks guys. the reason I would stay a few days after is to close my bank account, cancel my cell phone, go to the pension office, ect. These are things I can't do while working at this place. I don't get any breaks to do this so it would have to be after I quit.

Good advice about having my things out of the apartment before I quit. I feel bad about leaving the kids like this but I don't have a choice since I've seen the owner not pay other teachers who've quit.

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

ekul · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: [Mod Edit]

I agree with not telling your co-workers. I knew someone who did a runner for no reason other than she didn't enjoy being a neocolonialist imposing English on kids. The school was fine and her coworkers good. Anyway the other NETs at the school had to lie and say they didn't know anything. That is until the school found the note in her room saying she left because her father was dieing... At that point the others were so disgusted that they dobbed her in, but in reality it didn't do them any favours because it meant they knew in advance she was leaving.