Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cheonmunka]

My wife told me that on the NEWS the other night was a highlight about the after school programs run by agents recruiting foreign teachers. (Not GEPIK agents but private recruiters.)
The Ministry of Ed. said that it was hard for public schools to find teachers, so they are aware of that problem. Also, though, they said it was not fair that teachers had to hand over bank books, also that agents often took more than 50% of the fees. So, it re-stated that it is adamant about schools only direct employing foreign teachers, however, enforcing that is a problem. The ministry said it had no involvement with the tax system, only the regulations regarding the employment of the teachers through the agents.

So, perhaps from now there will finally be an upside to the methods we can use to get ahead.

I don't have anything other than primary source. However, there are those news segment websites, KBS et al.
Anyone who has the time to dig it out, it will be useful for anyone who is pending stuff through the labor office.

I will say however, that teachers are only likely to get ill tax effects from working these programs if they live in Korea more than one or two years - due to the tax year and collection falling later, and only when there are taxes in arrears. Usually the school will deduct taxes from the fees, however that may not be the full requirement. Also, the agent will deduct taxes from your salary payment, only that they have no legal standing to do so. So, I think, fight that part and check that the school is making the required deductions - about 6% on 5 million.

If you are a family person you can get subsidies (childcare school fee costs etc) from the tax service, but if your income consists of these student fees, putting you in a higher earning bracket, can kiss your subsidies good-bye.

[Roch]

[wylies99]

Thanks for posting the warnings- both of you.

[Tony_Balony]

[Cheonmunka]

I think what they mean is that they actually are trying to place one foreign teacher in every public school in Korea. Of course that's not happening so they turn a blind eye to the practice of individual agents putting teachers in, yet, maintain that the practice of agents being paid by schools goes against their rulebook. They stated that they don't want the schools to hire agents, yet cannot enforce the practice and because it tends to put those foreign teachers into schools leave the practice alone. However, the practice is still an offence, or a little illegal. It's not a crime but it is a business practice that is offensive.
I guess it's like doing 15 km/h over the speed limit. It's kind of glanced over yet if you cause injury by doing it, you'll receive the full brunt of the law. So my advice is to use this law in the Ed's own book if you need it.

[pkang0202]

The schools could just work the native teacher they already have like a horse, NOT pay them extra for the after school classes and just pocket the money.

Oh wait, they already do that.

[Tony_Balony]

[spliff]

[Tony_Balony]

The jobs really pay 3.9 - 4.0 million won each month, thats what the schools pay to the education company. Teachers will line up for that amount of money. Something else is going on.

If Spliff was serious, this means the company gets 4 million won and the teacher gets 2.3 million. Give the company money to the teacher and the recruitment problems go away.