Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crazytealeaf]

Hi, Im just wondering if anyone would have any info to help me out...

I'm applying to the UK student finance to try to get a grant for going back to university in London. I spent 2 years teaching in Korea and they want me to provide proof of my earnings and and exact dates of my time in Korea.

One of my previous schools has since shut down and the director of the other school has very little english so i was hoping that maybe I could get this evidence through the Labor board or maybe some other Korean government organisation.

If anyone knows of any group to contact then any information would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you

[r122925]

Well... what sort of proof do they want to see? That's the important question. Ask them what they will accept.

If you really can't contact either school, then... did you keep any copies of your contracts or pay slips? How about your passport? that will at the very least show your entry and exit dates. You can also request an income certificate (소득 증명) from the tax office to prove how much you earned (this of course depends on whether your hagwons were properly paying your taxes).

[deizio]

OP. I know this isn't exactly helpful to you, but I would have been in a similar situation from when I worked at a small - and now long-gone - hagwon when applying to grad school if I hadn't prepared for this.

So the tip - If you're working at a hagwon or otherwise have reason to think you wont get a reference or evidence that you actually worked somewhere, do your damndest to write yourself a letter of reference / proof of employment before you leave. Try to get headed school paper with a stamp, or at the very least have the director's business card attached to it. You can keep it to just dates and generalities, or write something longer. I'm not advocating faking yourself a glow-in-the-dark reference for future job applications, but something that looks official and shows the legit dates you worked somewhere is handy to have.

If you happen to have a business card from someone more senior at the school, you could try doing this now as a last resort. Or assuming you were hired and paid according to the rules, either a bankbook or statements that have your salary details on them, or maybe you can get something from the pension / tax office?

[tukmax]

Pay stubs
+
Reference letter and/or certificate of employment on a company letter head with the dates of employment clearly indicated.

[Utopian]

For documentation purposes, probably the best and most legitimate way you can provide proof is by contacting the Immigration and Pension Offices.

The Immigration Office, which issued your ARC (Alien Registration Card) can provide proof of the dates for your visa, which also verifies the period that you worked. Here is the address, weblink and number for the Busan Branch:

Busan Immigration Office
(Obtaining Area: Busan, Gimhae, Yansan, Milyang)
Address: #17-26 Jungang-dong 4-ga Jung-gu Busan
TEL: 051-461-3021 / FAX: 051-463-7255
http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html


The Pension Office can verify your income, since your pension and deductions were based on this salary information. However, be sure that the salary information is correct--sometimes struggling hakwon owners will under-report in order to save money. If this is the case, alert the office to the problem, and they will take measures to rectify the situation. Here is the Pension Office information for Busan:

Busan Regional Office

Address: Kukminyeongeum Busanhoegwan Building.(국민연금 부산회관) 4th Floor 1422-8 Yeonsan-dong Yeonje-gu, Busan
Zip Code: 611-829
Phone No. :051-668-7001∼2
Fax No. : 051-668-7141
How to get there: Subway Line 1, City Hall Station, Exit 15


If you didn't work in Busan, then Google these offices along with "Korea" and the name of the city in which you worked.

Good luck!