You know, i’m I’m not French, but i lived in Paris for 12 years before coming here (and i’ve been here for 8 years).  if i did have a criminal record it would most likely be in France or here…  20 years ago, i lived in New York, but was never arrested there either.

But Koreans, in their self-imposed blindness to the outside world, cannot really be expected to understand the utter futility of these constant immigration tactics.  Any grief caused to ‘foreigners’ is just a feather in a politician’s cap.  And any waegook is by definition, a vile and subversive character—a criminal, drug addict, or pederast.

If i look out the window of my closet-sized oficetel, from where i have diligently walked to the school where i taught bright faces to speak a few words of English and (hopefully) apply a modicum of critical thinking to their essays, i see only forest of sex motels and room salons.  And i live in a residential area.

Instead of rewarding new citizens for years of respectful and diligent service, Korea seeks, as usual, to implement a pseudo-statistical solution, designed to ward off enthusiastic new citizens, and to self-justify its own institutionalized decadence.

This place, i think, despite its recent successes in marketing semiconductors and cell phones, is doomed to racist, inbred putrification.  Call it “culture” if u like, but that doesn’t change the color of the beast.

This is a society that needs to take a good, long look at itself.

Hey Brandon,

I have a daughter in NY.  She’s had good teachers and bad ones, and i’ve been actively involved in her life (both economically and morally) since the 1st day. 

I’m going to be honest: i’ve broken the law of the land (various lands) on many occasions but that was when i was a much younger lad… and i’m one of those lucky people that never got caught (hey, even Clinton and Bloomberg are on record for smoking).

But this thing, this new, new, new law isn’t really about separating bad people from good people, in the teacher-hiring process.  It’s simply a reactionary tactic designed to separate “us” from “them”, and nothing better.

I’ve been teaching in Korea for 8 years.  During that time, i’ve never seen immigration authorities raise a finger to make our lives more palatable.  We have no chance of ever becoming bona-fide residents, or respected members of the community.  Even if we marry here (assuming u are under 35, and culturally permitted to marry) we still have no right to work without that inevitable E2 visa.  The one that makes you a hagwon-owner’s slave…

I’d like to help them.  In fact, i’ve wasted the last 8 years of my life trying to help them.  I love the children i teach, and will truly miss them.  In a way i’m glad i had that opportunity even if it only amounted to a drop in the bucket. 

But after 8 years i also expected something better for myself.  Here in Korea, i am obviously just political garbage and I’m getting out of here while i still have some self-respect.  Anyhow, there is an endless stream of new teachers behind me, and the kids will only miss me for a day.—we are, in the end, just a commodity to be bought and sold, and to be statistically manipulated for political gain.

But i respect you for holding on.  Believe me, i understand and respect that.  If we didn’t think we were making some kind of difference, none of us would ever stay for more than a year.

This thing—this “new new law” it’s not about improving education in Korea.  Quite the contrary.  It’s about disdain for other human beings.  It’s about disdain for your own children.  It is the ugliest hipocrisy.

If i thought that by jumping through this new hoop, i could somehow improve Korea’s cultural/educational perspectives, i’d be happy to do it.  I actually love Koreans—they are the most warm-hearted (in the street) people i’ve ever known.  But if this government insists on treating me like shit, i must go.  I have that that responsibility to myself, and to those (in other places) who love me and depend on me to be strong, and stand up for what is right in this crazy world.

What the Korean government has been doing to us (for 8 years that i know) is simply not right.

Then i stand corrected, but remain unsatisfied. 

It’s a dead end for me, as E2 visas become harder and harder to get.  And my years on the job never added up to a hill of beans, as far as immigration was concerned.

My own fault i guess.

I agree that the situation really bites. Immigration really does need to create a new visa class for long term residents who have never had a problem in Korea - it would make things so much better for dedicated teachers and professionals who deserve some respect.

Thanx ScS

My sentiments exactly.  These tactics make it clear however that the Korean government has little, if any, respect for us.  The new law is clearly engineered as an attempt to manage a social commodity.  Unfortunately it doesn’t even pass for social engineering—far too impractical.  It is likely to damage or destroy a valuable Korean industry in addition to causing unnecessary grief to individual teachers.

But here’s the real rub.  They don’t like us.  If they did, they’d have put themselves in our shoes for a couple of minutes before slapping together this shoddy new legislation.

I have another question.  Does anybody really know how ‘apostile’ works?  Say you are motivated to get yourself fingerprinted by the local Korean police and then use courier services to make this “criminal background check” come to Korea (and i have a few months to work on it) then what must you do?  Do the embassies provide “apostile certification services”. 

Or, God forbid, do they actually expect us to fly home and get all this stuff done?  I think that half the hagwon owners in Korea just got kicked out of business.

As I read the notice above one more time, i can see that they are holding back—“stricter” measures are apparently in the works!  What did i do to make these people hate me so much?

Allen—how far in advance?  I know we have some deal where we can do it about 2 months in advance…maybe 2.5 if they’re feeling good.  What city are you in?  I think it depends on your Immigration office.

I’ve just read about your situation in detail and I have to say I feel bad for you.  You might be surprised at how long these kids remember you though.  I know many of them who recall teachers 10+ years ago.  I have one girl who credits most of her learnings (she’s a 9th grader now) to her English teacher who she had when she was in 3rd grade.  She’s one of my best students I’ve ever had who hasn’t gone abroad to learn the language. 

Anyway, I’m wondering if you write about your situation more that there may be some better resolve for you.  I’d post your story to Korea Times or some other Editorial section of the Joongang Ilbo or the Korea Herald.  I do have to admit this country is somewhat ageistic as well as racist and discriminatory on many levels.  However, it’s because they have been a single race country for a long time and it was only until recently when Hines Ward became MVP of the superbowl they started to make public statements about having mixed heritage & how that’s now a good thing.

We have 2 african american teachers in our system out of 50+ and I support them 100%, but I have to admit that we don’t have 48+ African Americans and 2 white teachers for a reason—it would probably shock the parents.  Nevertheless, we’re better than we were 10 years ago when I first taught here. 

I don’t think the immigration dept is thinking “us vs. them”, but I can understand how you feel that way.  I just think they’re getting a bit of flack for not stepping up a while back in doing checks like this. 

Again, I agree it’s very messy - VERY, VERY CONFUSING, but again, I don’t disagree with the need for it.  Also, I just wish we could do a better job about making it more clear and the process better.  I’m trying my best & volunteering when I can.  Unfortunately, we all don’t have all the time in the world. 

Lastly, the one thing to note is this country operates off of yin & yang.  I mean, they learn from the bad to get to the good and sometimes get a little lazy when it’s good…and then fall back into the bad.  I sense that there’s enough pain & frustration in this issue now that something will be done, but the CLEAR FACT HERE is if no one says anything to the Immigration dept directly, they will NOT know how bad they screwed up.  It’s like when you’re disatisfied with something your boss, but you don’t speak up until it boils to a point where you blow up—it’s not your bosses’ fault, but yours for not speaking up early enough about it.