Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ethan Allen Hawley]

"My name is Amy Hosotsuji. I am a Japanese-Canadian English teacher in the public school system in Yeosu. I am emailing you to inform you of a situation that has happened in the last few weeks. My boyfriend is an African-American and has been applying for the last few months to join me in Yeosu in the public school system.

"A few weeks ago, my recruiter came down to Yeosu from Seoul to negotiate with the Yeosu Board of Education to have my boyfriend hired. Apparently, negotiation was necessary because the new head of the Board decided she does not want to hire blacks or asian English teachers. My recruiter told me she bluntly said she wants only caucasian teachers.

"I was, obviously, outraged when I first heard this. Now, my boyfriend and I are searching for hagwans for him, and at this point ANYWHERE in Korea.

"My recruiter said that this new Head of the Board of Education said she will only avoid hiring blacks for elementary school. But when my recruiter came to negotiate with her for middle and high school positions, she still would not give in."

Found here:
http://asiancorrespondent.com/nschwartzman/reader-alleges-racial-discriminatio.htm

[roadwork]

Their country,their choice. You don't like it, you know where Incheon is.

[Smee]

I got that email as well and I was interested in it b/c it's nearby. But, let's wait until some proof turns up until we become outraged. I have no doubt people may be unwilling to hire blacks or Asians, but do we know it's actually the Office of Education or simply the recruiter? Do we even know if the woman making the complaint is a credible source?

[freethought]

[vk33]

[hellofaniceguy]

Some school out their will hire you/him...but it will take time. I wish more black folks were hired in korea! This country is long overdue to be educated on skin color!
Many koreans are two faced...."oh, I like black people, blah, blah, blah" and when it comes time to hire, etc, they come up with B.S.!
It sounds cold and callous...but it is NOT your country...you are a guest....an uninvited guest at that as you are seeking employment...they did not kidnap you or force you to come to korea...a black man and an asian woman together in racist korea!!??

[shostahoosier]

[shostahoosier]

[roadwork]

[hochhasd]

[roadwork]

[shostahoosier]

[roadwork]

[freethought]

man, there are some simple minded people on these boards.

I am not comparing the deeds, but rather applying the thinking in a different setting. The poster that I was criticizing made a fair point later on, if the OP is hot and bothered about everything here, then leaving is maybe something the OP should consider. I would also say, though, that wanting to improve things here by pointing them out and criticizing them isn't a bad thing and is in fact admirable. I don't know the OP and don't post on the boards very often.

But re: my comment, apply the it's their country maxim to other situations: Darfur, women's rights in islamic countries, South Africa in apartheid, voter registration in the south, inter-racial marriages in LA (last week) dot dot dot. We have a universal declaration of human rights that Korea signed. It speaks out against discrimination. To defend what are obviously racist hiring practices with the idea of 'it's their country' is disturbing.

[hockeyguy109]

I'm curious about what these racist administrators would say if they went to a different country that told them, "Sorry, we don't hire Koreans".