Korean Job Discussion Forums

explorer25 · Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Location: Korea

I worked for a school last year, private hagwon, and they did not pay the right amount of pension... I am Canadian, and I know we get full pension coverage... Normally, schools should pay 4.5% of ur basic salary, not incl. housing allowance, and you pay the same, 4.5%..which is 9% of ur basic salary... I told them this, and I got a bogus explanation that we dont pay too much income tax, so since we r exempt from that, they dont pay pension!? So why in the world, i pay 4.5 % ?!? and get some chunck of change added to that...?
When I went to pension office, the lady told me I was registered as a "part- time" teacher?! Shocked

I was confused and showed her my pay slips, and told her that was wrong..She shook her head , and told me how much I was getting..

The other Cdn teacher got his full amount! so I dont understand why the hec they picked me for their scam game!!
The manager was also pretending to forget to pay my re-settlement fee of 400 000 won, with my first pay check?! I had to go to her office and remind her that! It was in the contract as well...I mean it's in the contract, she knew about it, but she got offended and almost shouted at me saying she just 'forgot", so what?! Evil or Very Mad

( By the way.. The school is YBM !!!)

big_fella1 · Joined: 08 Dec 2005

Sorry I can't help you but for future employees, I think I have found a way around this scam.

Tell your pay office that you want your tax calculated on the 17% flat rate method (when they ask tell them it's due to your foreign income). This shouldn't affect your withholding installments but they cannot claim that your income can be reduced by 30% when they declare your income to the pension office.

In May file your own return using the 30% deduction method and voila, you are getting your correct pension contributions.

I need to check with the Tax Office on Monday if this will work.

explorer25 · Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Location: Korea

Wow... I didnt know the rates... I guess that's how they scammed me....

They must have put me on a low tax rate.... but still the other teachers got their full amount....and got their income tax returns as well... we were told we dont need to file any , cuz we were paying below the requirement.... so we ended up with no tax returns either....

cruisemonkey · Last edited by cruisemonkey on Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:57 am; edited 1 time in total

explorer25 · Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Location: Korea

cruise monkey..you got a response? or question...

cruisemonkey · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:58 am Post subject:

xingyiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

There are signifigantly large numbers of schools (meaning a majority) here that do not pay the full amount, or don't pay pension at all. It's a fact of life. I had a friend whose hogwan owner was actually pocketting his pension money and not turning it in who went to court over it and got off scott free. In my opinion pension is a losing battle. If your employer is honest and pays it then you are blessed. If not, well forget it and move on. You'll probably not get lots of sympathy or help from anyone.

explorer25 · Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Location: Korea

I guess i was lucky the last time.... I got the full payment from my previous school....anyhow.... now i know better....

Cruisemonkey, I thought about the written notice, but all the managers were very fluent in English..they were being ignorant.... shady, b....rds.///
By the way, does the criminal rec. need to be approved by the notary, or signed by a lawyer?? I will apply to get it soon....and look for jobs in feb....
Thanks everyone, for ur feedback....

OculisOrbis · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

I dont really know how they messed up your pension because, as CM said, the OP didnt make make sense.

If you truly were shafted, you have up to three years to make a claim at the pension office to have your pension properly adjusted.