Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Geckoman]

South Korea's presidental house, known as "Blue House" in English and "Cheong Wa Dae" in Korean, has banned all foreigners from going on tours of the house under the reasoning that foreigers will spread swine flu, even though the arguement has no basis as Koreans are just as much a threat of spreading swine flu as foreigners are.

Another great example of the narrow-minded xenophobia so common in Korea.

See this Korea Herald article about it:

Cheong Wa Dae Keeps Doors Shut to Foreigners
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/12/09/200912090008.asp

I encourage everyone to contact the offices/organizations/agencies below to protest this outrageous xenophoblic policy:

The Blue House's Tour Reservation Office
E-mail: [email protected]
Address: Seoul-si Jongno-gu Sejong-ro 1, South Korea
Phone (available in English and other languages): 02-730-5800

The Blue House's Foreigner Correspondence Department
E-mail: [email protected]

Seoul Tourist Complaint Center
Phone (available in English and other languages): 02-735-0101
Fax: 02-777-0102

24-Hour Korea Tourist Help Hotline
Phone (available in English and other languages): 1330

Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone (available in English and other languages): 02-7299-600
Address: 40, Cheonggyecheonno, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
E-mail and regular mail addresses of the KTO's overseas's offices are listed here: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_8_11_2.jsp

And to think that Korea is desperately trying to improve itself as a tourist destination when it is constantly neglected as a tourist destination over other Asian locations. Korea really wants to be a tourist hub yet does stuff like this.

[Xuanzang]

No biggie.

[Brady]

"The policy was made to prevent foreigners from contracting the illness considering that they would have difficulties dealing with the illness in a foreign country."

Hahahahaha, pull the other one.

[youtuber]

This is DISCRIMINATION!!!

Concern yourself with issues that matter. Pick your battles carefully. Otherwise, nobody listens.

[The Goalie]

We see the pop-up on the Blue House website and think nothing of it.

We read the linked article and think it's a little silly and forget about it.

We read the OP's post and we're storming the Bastille.

Welcome to Media 101.

[Smee]

I don't know if it's common elsewhere to give blogs credit for breaking stories, but in Korea they often break the news we read about in English. In this case credit goes to Gusts of Popular Feeling.

http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2009/12/planning-to-tour-blue-house.html

Certainly no coincidence that it makes the paper a few days after he writes on it.

[TheUrbanMyth]

Children under 18 are also banned. But I guess mentioning that just doesn't have the same emotional impact as reading foreigners banned.

[Old Gil]

totes ridics

[VanIslander]

I thought Koreans had among the highest rates of H1N1 infection in the world???!!!

But it's a waygook virus so BAN THE WAYGOOKIN.

The logic is simple to a xenophobe and unremarkable to an apologist.

One news story like this internationally offsets all the "Sparkling" ads invested in.

[Steelrails]

Must have been some changes....before they were doing temperature checks and screening people before they got admitted. I'm not sure if this also applies to diplomats, or if it applies to just tourists...

[hellofaniceguy]

Then Obama needs to do the same to koreans..but he won't; he is not that simple minded as many koreans are.
The only problem with korea...to many koreans....simple minded folks it seems.

[Hater Depot]

[seoulsucker]

[redaxe]

reason # 8964 why I want to leave this country

[Captain Obvious]

Was anyone planning on visiting anyway?