Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Perhaps, this is what you should be receiving if you have a master's degree and work in a university.

- Initial monthly salary of 5,000,000 won (KRW) or higher pending degree and qualification, experience.
http://job.cdi.co.kr/html/news/news.asp?b_id=28
http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=15436

Even if you work several years in a Korean university, your monthly salary will not be more than 5,000,000 won.

[animalbirdfish]

I've looked at CDI's job ads before and they seem to pay well, but I wonder if they actually pay (hey, they can promise all the money in Ft. Knox...) and what it's like to work for them.

[Hollywoodaction]

[dulouz]

CDI? I had a business meeting there once. These people are prone to demand alot. I wouldn't want to work with them or worse, for them. If the cash is good, you can stick around but they seemed pretty unflexible.

[Hollywoodaction]

Considering the fact foreigners with graduate diplomas that work in the education field in Korea are generally grossly underpaid, I would have guessed that much from someone who seems to offer a more reasonable wage.

[ohfamous]

do a search.

old thread about working at CDI:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=32128&highlight=cdi

i also just started a thread of warning about changes at CDI: http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=35918

[Saxiif]

[T-dot]

[jaykimf]

[Real Reality]

jaykimf,

E-1 Status (Professors)
In the case of a national or a public University, a foreigner is not permitted to be a full-time professor.
Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea
http://www.moj.go.kr/HP/ENG/eng_03/eng_306030.jsp

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
Overall living conditions, including education, housing, medical care, transportation, immigration, and access to the Internet are pointed to as inconveniences. Not only inconveniences caused by different systems and customs in Korea, but also special discriminating practices, such as the practice of submitting two years of monthly rent in advance like a deposit, which is required of foreigners just because they are foreigners, are ubiquitous. "Even though Korea has achieved some degree of globalization in going abroad, it has still a long way to go for globalization in embracing foreigners inward," said foreigners residing in Korea. An official in the International Cooperation Division of Seoul City admitted, "The same complaints regarding visas, transportation, education, and environment are raised every year without being solved, due to the lack of cooperation from government agencies involved and their passive attitudes."
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448

Today's Bonus

United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Article 1
Discrimination between human beings on the ground of race, colour or ethnic origin is an offence to human dignity and shall be condemned as a denial of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and as a fact capable of disturbing peace and security among peoples.

Article 2
1. No State, institution, group or individual shall make any discrimination whatsoever in matters of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the treatment of persons, groups of persons or institutions on the ground of race, colour or ethnic origin.

2. No State shall encourage, advocate or lend its support, through police action or otherwise, to any discrimination based on race, colour or ethnic origin by any group, institution or individual.

3. Special concrete measures shall be taken in appropriate circumstances in order to secure adequate development or protection of individuals belonging to certain racial groups with the object of ensuring the full enjoyment by such individuals of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These measures shall in no circumstances have as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups.

Article 3
1. Particular efforts shall be made to prevent discrimination based on race, colour or ethnic origin, especially in the fields of civil rights, access to citizenship, education, religion, employment, occupation and housing.

2. Everyone shall have equal access to any place or facility intended for use by the general public, without distinction as to race, colour or ethnic origin.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/9.htm

[jaykimf]

Various branches of the U.S. government also prohibit the employment of non-citizens. So what. Surely anyone qualified to be a university professor of English should know the diference between race and citizenship. Apparently you don't. Anyway, if you can't find a better position anywhere else in the world, would that suggest that every country in the world discriminates against you because of your race? Or would it suggest that no where in the world (except in your feeble imagination) are you considered qualified for a higher position?

[nrvs]

[christinajou]

i heard the teachers work a lot, but they make as much as they work. my friends know a few people who work there, and they made a pretty decent amount of money. but you don't really get much time to enjoy it, so....i guess if you want to pay off some debt or loans, this would be an ideal job.

[Gord]

[Real Reality]

from EFL-Law-Guy (Koreabridge Forums, EFL Education, EFL LAW)
Posted: Jan 29 2004
Disturbing Trend Appearing? Long termers Not being re-hired.
This only applies to institutuions of higher learning
Recently, we have become aware of 5 cases of employees (teachers) who have worked for 4 or more years, with the same employer, NOT being renewed. (4 years, 2 x 7 years, 8 years, 13 years,).... If it turns out to be widespread, then action in the Human Rights Commission is warranted - it is a cynical attempt to prevent foreigners from getting tenure should some enterprising teacher take the matter to court. This action is very reminiscent of what the Japanese government tried not so long ago.

from dg611
Posted: Jan 30 2004
add another one to the list.
I worked at the same university for 4 years and they decided to let me go even though they originally told me I could stay for a maximum of 5 years.
Koreabridge Forums, EFL Education, EFL LAW
http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3343

Foreign scholars merit equal status
The foreign professor -- colleague or hired hand?
...permanent foreign professors number only a handful compared to the legions of Korean professors at foreign universities, but they do most of the heavy lifting in terms of course loads, devoting themselves almost exclusively to teaching. Nevertheless, they tend to be treated as hired hands, without academic standing, and lacking the possibility of career advancement or tenure. They must submit to yearly contracts (compensated at a rate only 60 percent of their Korean peers) while walled off from the permanent Korean faculty who benefit from travel, research funding, sabbaticals, etc. Moreover, when hundreds of Korean scholars enjoy such perks at American and other foreign universities, something is obviously amiss.
John B. Kotch, JoongAng Daily (June 14, 2002)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200206/14/200206142349223599900090109011.html

from EFL-Law.org (The EFL-Law Forum)
kimchi (Guest)
Post subject: re-contract; Posted: March 28, 2005
I have started my fourth one year contract as a full time instructor on an E1 visa at a private university. It has previously been mentioned to me that employers are bound by law to put one on permanent staff after a period of time, maybe 3 years. A fellow lecturer at PNU ( i think) said he had to sign a waiver every year after his 3rd year so that the employer wouldn't be liable for not changing his employment status to that of a member of permanent staff.
What do you think?

efl-law (Site Admin) Posted: March 29, 2005
This issue was big back in April 2004 - basically Korea is following Japan with the three year idea. They don't want to make it easy for a foreigner to claim Tenure by reason of long term back to back to contracts --hence various schemes dreamed up to try and prevent this --in any event, it is very difficult to get "permanency" by means of a long term employment with one employer -
EFL-Law.org Forum: Contracts - made & broken
http://www.efl-law.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=490