Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Lemon]

A certainly curious e-mail arrived this afternoon in the inboxes of those of us who registered with the Canadian embassy. It's the new "Emergency Evacuation Plan" for Canadian citizens. The cover letter says it's "in the event of a local crisis such as a natural disaster". However, the attached Word documents go further: "This Plan, for use by Canadians, will be activated in the event of a military emergency or natural disaster."
I'm sure it's prudence, but it's really a bit unsettling.

The document tries to put the reader's mind at ease as it discusses the apocalypse: "The chance that an evacuation might be necessary is rather remote." Whew. They were getting me worried there.

There are some interesting details:
1. Canada and the US have a help-each-other agreement, which could mean that Canadians may be instructed to head to USFK bases. The document warns that the USFK will assist American citizens first, and us later if there's any room left. Fair enough. I'll just wait for one of our Sea Kings to come get me.

2. At some point during the evacuation, a little man from the Canadian embassy is going to ask me to sign an Application for Financial Assistance and a Promise to Repay, "manifesting my indebtedness to the Government of Canada for expenses incurred by it in effecting my evacuation." They want me to pay them back after ordering me home.

3. My Korean wife gets to come with me.

For the last few weeks I've been a guy trying to tell people not to get excited about this North Korea thing. I know a lot of folks have been anxious, and I've never believed it has been warranted. So what are they trying to do with this e-mail, right now? It's not the message as much as the timing that concerns me.

By the way, I've put the Word document on my web server, and I'll leave it there for the next day or two as a public service, helpful lemon that I am. Click here:
Emergency Evacuation Plan-Red Book

[jjurabong]

I registered an address change last month at the site. At that time, I also asked about my new "gathering point" in case of emergency. At that time, I received an e-mail back telling me that they were updating the plan and would be getting it out in about a month. I think the timing is just coincidental. It actually should come as a relief, because last month, they couldn't even tell me where to go if anything did happen. I feel better now knowing that the plan is in place.

[Hyalucent]

After I requested it, they sent these documents out to me a couple of weeks ago. The only change I noticed was the addition, in the body of the email, of the name of my local warden.

Maybe there are quite a few of us who have been requesting them lately, and they figured they'd stop with individual replies and just send out a single, blanket notification to everyone.

But just to play Devil's Advocate, they could be sending them out now with the concern that the North could be planning something over the Lunar New Year weekend. There'll certainly be a lot of people on the roads and bogging down the transportation systems. *IF* something happened the chaos would be greatly inflated. I would assume they would also catch a large number of the military on leave.

... And it doesn't hurt to stock up on bottled water anyway.

[jsmac]

Since the DPNK insists that their beef is with the USA and not with South Korea or anyone else, it seems like maybe a US army base is the LAST place you should head for in the event of hostilities... And a 40 year-old Sea King would be a close second!

[Hank Scorpio]

[hack]

Isn't life over here great? Not only do we have to put up with all the crap on a daily basis, now we gotta worry about this. Thank god for soju.

[Ajarn Miguk]

Based on what Lemon had to say about who gets priority in the event of an evacuation, it may be time for some folks to consider investing in USA flag patches? Just a thought.

[Guy Incognito]

What offends me is how penny-pinching the Canadian government is.

"Yeah, we'll save your life, but you have to pay for the gas." Disgusting.

[Hotuk]

I guess it's to counter some taxpayer in Alberta complaining, "they left the country - it's their problem - why would we pay money to save them?"

I'd be less offended if we got Aeroplan miles out of it.

[Dan]

or you could pull out a north korean flag, claim defection and be given a heros welcome

korea

EDIT: this is a joke, and only a joke. defecting to north korea is NOT a recommended course of action (heck, defecting to south korea is not a recommended course of action)

[k-girls.com]

I guess there are many others places to go if it hits the fan, but I'm sorry... when the missles start flying the last place I'm going is to a US Airforce or Army base.

Those places will be the primary targets. As for relying on the Sea-Kings, I think most of them would break down on the way over (not that they can fly this far anway).

A word of advice: Don't show your parents the Cdn embassy's email, they're probably freaked enough as it is.

[Canadian Teacher]

This reminds me of how popular it is with the 20 something set to hate the USA. Perhaps we should make a new slogan...

"I hate America but if the *hit hits the fan America can get me back to Canada and safety, so I can hate America there!"

As a Canadian, I am proud of our relationship with the United States. I am no great fan of the present administration but politicians come and go.

Canadian Teacher

[kimcheeking]

[CRH]

Hello
Has everyone had one of these email evacuation plans emailed to them?
My wife and I have both registered at the embassy and we haven't heard diddly squat...Talk about being bummed about not getting an invitation to a party....
Take it easy
CRH

[jsmac]