Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hoost]

So, I just got hired into the National University system here in Korea. Apparently, I am the first foreigner hired as a tenure-track professor at this particular university.

When I applied, the job posting said it was 60,000,000 won a year. I have signed the contract which didn't have any pay amount listed. I asked my colleagues who were also being hired (koreans) and they said that it's all available online.

So I checked as it is public information (I'm technically a gov. official now). I had a level 8 pay grade due to my experience level.

Listed on the website to my dismay was 1.8 million won a MONTH. This is for a tenure-track professor. When I asked, they said that this is the basic pay which is regulated by the government. Then, from student tuition money they add a "plus alpha". He then showed me a statistic spreadsheet that said on average my level would get an extra 1.1 mil a month.

I quickly did the calculation and this is FAR less than the advertised posting. They replied that I had fringe benefits like insurance, pension, and opportunities for promotion. (No housing is included by the way).

Still its a lot less than advertised. In retrospect I should have pressed harder for them to give me a solid salary number, but I didn't as they kept reassuring me. I left my previous university job for this and will most likely be paid less and have to commute twice as far (4 hour commute).

----
So my question is... does anyone here work under the national university scheme? If so, how is salary calculated and is my situation similar? I feel foolish, shamed, and overall disappointed by myself and Korea.

[MoonDuck]

Your situation is outrageous! I believe you should seek out legal help. I have a non-tenure job at a major Korean uni, and I'm paid 3 million a month before taxes.

Maybe it's because you're the first tenured foreigner at this uni that they think they can get away with underpaying you.

Do you have any options for other work, or is it too late?

[Seoulman69]

This is a tricky one because you should have checked the salary when you were signing the contract. I would have a think about whether it is worth staying until you can line something else up or whether you want to make an issue of it now. I'm the kind of guy that would make an issue of it now but the decision lies with you.
Good luck.
Out of interest, do you have a Phd?

[PatrickGHBusan]

[Swampfox10mm]

Non tenure-track profs at our university (Ph.D) make 3.4 per month plus provided housing. Not a lot, but maybe average.

[Wildbore]

If they misrepresented the contract in any way, you could legally back out.

[toonchoon]

[PRagic]

I'm tenure track and have worked at a national university previously, so maybe I can give you some insight. I don't teach English or English related classes, but because you're working at a national university, there is no need to worry about varyging pay levels based on academic dicipline.

Signing a blank contract is, unfortunately, par for the course at national universities, so in that respect nothing is too weird just yet.

As for your salary, it is usually split between your 'base pay' and then your 'research pay' (or something similar). Plus, you will get two bonuses over the course of the year, one at new year and one at Chusok (Korean thanksgiving).

I've talked to loads of foreign tenure track profs here and, for whatever reason, the annual pay rarely meets the ballpark figure they quote you during the hiring phase. Mine didn't either. In general, however, it is usually within a few million won. It burns a lot of people up as 'a few million a year' is a good chunk of change.

If there is a screaming discrepancy between the salary they quoted you and what you eventually bring in at the end of the year, you should approach them. Or you could ask other newer faculty to give you an estimate on the bonuses for your pay grade (the amount changes year to year) and then make a rough calculation. Again, if there is a major discrepancy, you can approach them. I doubt anything can be done at this point, though.

The pay grades are set in stone, but how they are levied is anyone's guess. Even my Korean co-workers didn't know how their pay grade was assigned. It has to do with experience, degree level, publications and what not. Try to make sure that all of your publications and scholarly activity have been counted in the calculus somewhere. Most departments have an allotment for performance bonuses as well, but they all divy them up different ways. Check to see if you're up for a piece of the pie after you've been there a semester or two.

Once you're in, there is a system for inputting your publications and conference participation. Be sure to keep your official record up to date as this can influence your pay level from year to year. You automatically get a pay bump every year, and can go up for promotion to Associate Professor at the end of your 4th year.

One of the drawbacks to working at a national is that you have to do x number of years at each rank before going for promotion. Exceptions are rarely if ever made. The promotion to Associate, as long as you've been reasonably active and haven't pissed in someone's shoes, is just a matter of doing the paper work and having your file reviewed by a committee.

Congrats on getting the job. Hope that things pan out for you in the pay department.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Now thats a very informative post PRagic.

I think it can help lots of teachers on here who have missconceptions about tenure track foreign professors in Korea.

Well done.

[Mix1]

[Hoost]

Thanks for the informative replies, it has been helpful both practically and spiritually during my hardship.

So, after MUCH investigation and many fights with my wife I managed to unearth some more information.

In fact it is as PRMagic says. I get a basic salary which is standardized by the government. This is quite low... in the 2mil range. On top of that I get a monthly "bonus" standardized by my university. Also, there is a monthly food stipend, family support stipend, and bi-yearly holiday bonuses. But, I still don't get any housing or housing allowances.

So, I feel a little better, but the pay is still significantly less than the advertised position. So, i still feel cheated and upset with the whole situation. It's hard to put on a smile and feel motivated to teach a class when you feel stabbed in the back.

One thing i DO want to discuss is the OVERTIME pay. Apparently digging around I found out how much they pay me in overtime. My contract is 9 hours a week, but when i started they said I will be teaching 12 hours. Since it was my first semester i thought... sure... why not appear accommodating and get in good with them.

So, apparently, they pay me 6,000 won per hour of overtime. So for an extra 3-hour class I teach... i get 72,000 won a month (minus taxes).

This is what I would consider not "time/money" efficient. I don't want to stop teaching it mid semester as that would really be detrimental to my students and unfair to them. However, if I hypothetically did drop this class... would I only be losing out 72,000 a month or would they penalize me more?

Also, am I obligated to take on overtime classes next semester? Would it be ok to just say NO and teach my minimum of 9 hours a week?

Sure they'll be upset, but I think 6,000 won an hour for overtime is ridiculous.

[hubbahubba]

[nathanrutledge]

If you're there on campus and it's within your work day, I'd do it. If you have to specifically come in, I'd say no.

My co worker is in a similar boat. It takes him about an hour to work and an hour home, so coming in to teach for paltry overtime pay for not one, but three hours (commute +class), it just isn't worth it. I happen to live right near campus, so I make three times the rate he does as it takes me all of five minutes to walk to class. But at 6k an hour, you'd better be in class ready to go if you accept it - ANY time sacrifice and I'd say no, not worth it at all. Just my two cents.

[Hoost]

I know most likely I'll get the lecture, "duty duty duty".

But, what I want to know is if anyone has refused to work overtime.

Or, I'd like to know if it is 'fireable' offense if I stand my ground and say that I only want to work my 9 contract hours.

Not really interested in discussions about whether its worth it or not to take the extra classes. I'm absolutely not interested in working for such meager overtime pay.

[Hotpants]

The pay sounds dismal. Is there anything about the job that's worth holding on to?

I would plan on sucking things up for a semester (assuming you already have a visa?) and start job-hunting for the next semester. If you've really got the quals and experience, you shouldn't find it too hard to get picked up by another uni. Better still, as it sounds like you are aiming for big bucks, why not check out uni gigs in the likes of Singapore or Hong Kong or even the Middle East. Better salaries for PhD'ers in those regions.