Teach English in South Korea for April English, a division of Chung Dahm Institute (CDI) in Busan and Changwon

April English, a division of Chung Dahm Institute or otherwise known as CDI in South Korea has ESL Job openings this winter for elementary school children English Instructors at it’s Centum City branch in Busan Korea.

Parent company: Chung Dahm Institute is the foremost leader and innovator in English language education in South Korea. As the premier provider of educational services, we employ 400 ESL instructors at 60 locations throughout Korea who teach their native English skills to students of ESL. Busan and Changwan are two of the cities which host the English Academies with 6 Schools in the 2 locations. Over 2200 students and 50+ ESL teachers regularly attend and work at these specific English Academies. Over 20,000 ESL students trust CDI to provide a distinct and incomparable service through our cutting edge English curriculum and language acquisition methodology across the entire country of Korea.

Monthly Remuneration Package for Chung Dahm Institute English (ESL) Instructors:
- Pay: 2.0 Milion ~ 2.3 Million KRW (Korean Won) per month (based on qualifications)
- Airfare reimbursement
- 15 work days paid vacation (3 full weeks including the weekends in literal terms - weekends are off; please note: 1 week is during the winter, 1 week is during the summer and 1 week at the the week before the contract completes)
- Free single housing accommodations semi-furnished (Refrigerator, stove, A/C, Bed, washing machine)
- 50/50 Medical Insurance and Pension
- Severance (one month pay)
- Visa Sponsorship
- Signing Bonus of up to 500,000 Korean Won Depending on Location (please reread bolded italicized underlined writing)

Qualifications and Requirements for the ESL Jobs in South Korea:
- An Undergraduate degree from a 4-year University
- Native Fluency in English (Written and Verbal)
- Sealed Transcript
- Original Diploma
- Valid Passport

Why Join April English, a division of Chung Dahm ESL Institute?
1) Get paid at the highest rates for any ESL Jobs in South Korea

2) Prepaid lesson plans and a strong curriculum built by our developers in Seoul — unlike most (90%) English Academies in Korea
3) Work in a professional environment where you are respected as an educator, not as just a “foreigner”
4) Improve yourself with our free English Instructor training program & career development support
5) Get daily support from your Head Instructor or Faculty Management
6) Teach some of the brightest students in the country (students must take iBT TOEFL to matriculate)
7) Opportunity for career diversification within CDI (R&D, e-Learning, Management, Human Resources, B2B)
Student Age: elementary to high school students
9) Class Size: maximum of fifteen students
10) Working Hours: 2:30pm-8:30pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 2:30p-9:30p, Tuesdays and Thursdays
11) Up to 120 teaching hours a month; over 120 hours equals overtime pay as stipulated in the contracts
12) Get weekends off guaranteed!!!

Please apply by sending your 1) resume, 2) cover letter, and 3) photo and an application (which we will send you after you provide the first 3 documents listed here) to hr@eslplacementkorea.com for consideration of these ESL Jobs in South Korea

*The process of applying for these ESL Jobs and coming to Korea could be as short as a few days to as long as a little over a month. There are various steps for your interview, training, visa acquisition and setup which we recommend you spend 2-3 weeks at least before starting your new job.

For any other information, please do not hesitate to contact the schools at hr@eslplacementkorea.com

**Busan is the 2nd largest city in the whole country. While being big, it has a different culture from the North in that there is more of a feeling of “warmth” and “community” along with having distinct appreciation by the locals for being passionate about things. The city is right on the water with the best beaches in the country & are regularly crowded with vacationers every summer. Our Haeundae branch is just minutes from the beach. The cities of Busan and Changwon give you all the amenities of a big city, but with the advantages of a smaller town culture and great landscape including beaches, mountains & hills to hike & climb and convenience in the local transportation system.

The following is some helpful information about Teaching in Korea created by the U.S. Citizen Services department of the Embassy of the United States in Seoul, South Korea:

 

Teaching in Korea

Teaching English

The U.S. Embassy receives many inquiries about teaching English in Korea. We have prepared this informal guide to give teachers basic information on the business of teaching English here so they can better informed themselves before committing to a particular job.

Unfortunately, some American citizens come to Korea under contract–with promises of generous salaries, bonuses and other amenities–only to find themselves in tenuous situations, often lacking funds to return to the U.S. The Embassy, by regulation, cannot enter into any case, conduct an investigation, or act as a lawyer regarding legal or contractual mishaps experienced by U.S. citizens. We can neither investigate nor certify employers. It is up to each individual to evaluate potential employers before signing a contract.

We hope this information will prove to be useful. If you have any problems, please contact the American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy. Please see our website, www.asktheconsul.org, for further information or for contact information.

 

Teaching English

Overview

Many Americans have enjoyed their teaching experiences in Korea; others have encountered problems. The key to happy and fruitful employment as a language instructor in Korea is to find a job with a reputable school and to negotiate a well-written contract before leaving the U.S. We advise anyone considering accepting an English teaching job in Korea to carefully review the terms of the contract regarding working and living conditions and to ask for references from persons familiar with the institution, especially former American employees.

Teaching English

Adapting To Korea Society

CULTURE SHOCK
When first arriving in a country, one is usually excited and eager for new experiences. After a while, the newness wears off, and homesickness begins. Do not judge yourself too severely at this point, as it happens to everyone: “I will never understand this place. I want some real food, some real friends, a real apartment. Why do Koreans do X?”

There is hope and it is usually only a matter of time. As you continue to cope with the realities of living here, you may become accustomed to what used to annoy you. Life becomes pleasant enough that you no longer care about the inconveniences. You suddenly find that you like kimchi. You realize your students are interesting people to know, and that helping them improve their English just adds to that interest. You make a few good friends who are willing to show you the Korea that is outside the foreigner’s community, and you begin to learn some Korean and use it. There are many foreigners in Korea who have come to and remain at this point – perhaps not so much assimilated, but very much a part of the country in their own right – and want to spend a long time in Korea.

For others, however, the time to leave simply comes sooner rather than later. With luck you will realize it before it affects your life too deeply. It is time to leave when you begin to be negative about the country and its people. When you no longer want to go to work, dislike your students, become irritated with everything and everyone and have angry discussions with other like–minded people, it is time to go.

Teaching English

Visa Matters

EMPLOYMENT VISAS
In order to work legally in Korea, you must first obtain the appropriate employment visa. The Korean government tightly controls visa issuance for employment, and sometimes teachers have been unable to obtain visas. A person who wishes to work in Korea must obtain the visa outside Korea. You can, however, come to Korea on a tourist visa, obtain sponsorship documents, and apply for the visa in a nearby country. Depending on the job and other factors, it can take anywhere from one week to two months to obtain the appropriate visa. A teacher arriving in Korea with a teaching visa must register with Korean Immigration and obtain a residence certificate and re-entry permit within 90 days of entry.

Employers, on behalf of Korean government agencies processing your case, may briefly need your passport for visa or permit purposes. Despite what some employers may tell you, you are not required to hand over your passport to your employer for the duration of your stay. It is your passport – hang onto it.

Korean Immigration offices require the same documentation that was used to obtain the visa, so you should make plenty of copies. The Embassy has a complete listing of the various visa categories and fees, as well as contact information for Korean Immigration offices and for Korean consulates in the United States. Visa categories and fees may change from time to time, so they should always be confirmed with Immigration or a consulate.

Most English instructors are granted either an E-2 visa (conversation instructor), E-1 visa (professor at educational institution higher than a junior college), or E-5 visa (professional employment with a public relations firm or corporation). Dependents of diplomats stationed in Seoul can work as English teachers by obtaining a work permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This can be done through the Embassy personnel office. An individual who is married to a Korean citizen can also acquire permanent residency and the right to work under the F-2 category.

REQUIRED FORMS
In order to obtain both the visa and the residence permit (which must be obtained within 90 days of entry), the following documents must be submitted to either a Korean consulate or the Korean Immigration office:

1. Notarized sponsorship guarantee form (shin won pojunso);
2. Contract, no less than one year and no more than two years (ko young kyeyakso); and
3. certificate of employment (chaejik junmyungso).
   These documents are supplied by the employer and should be obtained at least one month in advance to allow for mistakes and other mishaps. In addition, the authorities will probably require the following:
4. Statement of purpose;
5. Résumé;
6. Passport-size photos;
7. Original college diploma plus notarized copies;
8. Transcripts; and
9. References or substantiating documents from the foundation, institute, or organization you are working for.

The Ministry of Education, which must also approve the visa and the residence permit, requires English teachers to submit Embassy-notarized copies of their résumés with their applications for residence permits. This can be accomplished quickly. Please see our website for the current notarization fees.

CHANGING EMPLOYERS
Korean Immigration must approve changes in employment. This is accomplished by leaving Korea and entering under a new visa with a new sponsor. Changing your employer while in Korea is quite difficult and requires written consent from the original sponsor. Even with such consent, many teachers have found it nearly impossible to affect such a change while in Korea. Some have even been arrested and deported for overstaying their original visas while still involved in trying to change employers within the country. Questions on this procedure should be directed to the nearest Immigration office or Korean consulate.

LEGAL WARNING
Some Americans have run into serious legal problems with Korean Immigration because they either work as English teachers while in Korea on tourist visas or they accept part-time employment or private classes without obtaining the proper permission. Violation of Korean immigration laws can result in severe penalties including imprisonment, fines of up to 100,000 won (US $100) for each day of overstay, or deportation with a ban on re-entry for up to two years. It is your responsibility to understand local laws and obey them.

If you violate Korean visa laws, the Embassy cannot assist you other than to provide you with a list of attorneys.

 

For American Citizen Services (ACS) inquiries, please e-mail us at: seoul_acs@state.gov.

The basic information on American Citizen Services may also be obtained by calling 02-397-4114. Our FAX number is 02-397-4101.

This is an official U.S. Government source for information on the WWW. Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links or information does not imply endorsement of contents.

The U.S. Embassy is closed on both U.S. and Korean holidays.

 

 

Teaching English

Contracts

Foreign instructors in Korea occasionally have contract disputes with their employers. Many have observed that in Korea, a contract appears simply to be a rough working agreement, subject to change depending on the circumstances. Many Koreans do not view deviations from a contract as a breach of contract, and few Koreans would consider taking an employer to court over a contract dispute.

Instead, Koreans tend to view contracts as always being flexible and subject to further negotiation. Culturally, the written contract is not the real contract; the unwritten or oral agreement one has with one’s employer is the real contract. However, many employers will view a contract violation by a foreign worker as serious, and will renege on verbal promises if they feel they can. Any contract should be signed with these factors in mind.

BASIC FEATURES OF MOST TEACHING CONTRACTS
Contracts for teaching positions should include provisions for the following: salary, housing, airplane tickets home, working hours, class size, severance pay, taxes, and medical insurance. If these items are not included, one should negotiate until they are. Information on these topics is provided below. When in doubt, ask. Get it in writing, and remember that only the Korean-language version of the contract is legally binding in Korea.

SALARY
Most contracts provide either for a set monthly salary or for a salary based on the number of hours taught. In any event, a guaranteed monthly payment should be included in the contract. Payment dates, methods, and currency should be specified in advance.

HOUSING
Few contracts provide for housing in Seoul. This can be a serious problem, as housing in Seoul is among the most expensive in the world. Housing options include key money (yearly deposit), monthly rent, shared housing, dormitories, lodging houses, and inns. If your institute does not provide housing, it should at least be able to help you find it and negotiate the appropriate rent and utility payments. Teachers who have been promised housing may want to request photos, floorplans or furniture inventories in advance. Koreans have very different ideas of what ‘western’ and ‘furnished’ housing means. ‘Furnished’ might only mean a linoleum floor and a 2-burner stove. ‘Western’ usually just means an apartment with an indoor bath. Koreans measure housing space in pyong. One pyong is approximately 36 square feet. Pyong measurements usually include the front porch, utility room, etc. Monthly rent can run from US $500 to .US $2,000 for a modest apartment.

KEY MONEY SYSTEM (CHUNSEE)
Key money (chunse) is a year’s rent paid in advance, with no monthly rent payment. At the end of the contract period, the renter receives the chunse back without interest. Chunse can be risky because property ownership may change in the middle of the contract period, or an unscrupulous owner may simply decide that the foreigner is in no position to fight for the chunse. One can reduce this risk by having the employer agree to pay the chunse. Chunse payments run from a minimum of 30 million won (US $30,000) for a studio in a modest part of town to 500 million won (US $500,000) for a small apartment in one of the wealthier neighborhoods. Wolse is a variation of chunse. The renter pays a certain amount per month plus an initial deposit, which s/he receives back when s/he moves out. The same caveats apply as with chunse.

DORMITORIES, LODGING HOUSES (HASUK) AND INNS (YOKWANS)
Yonsei, Ewha, Seoul, Hanyang, Konkuk, and Hankook Universities all have dormitory accommodations available. In addition, the Korea Research Foundation runs an International House for foreign students. Sometimes these dormitories can accommodate foreign instructors, but they usually only accommodate their own regular faculty. Rent for a dorm typically runs from 650,000-700,000 won (US $650-700) per semester for a double room (singles are rare in Korea; Yonsei University, for example, does not offer them at all). Shared housing is a popular alternative, but you should be careful when choosing roommates and spell out financial arrangements in advance.

Lodging houses (hasuk) are popular with young Koreans in college or just starting their professional careers. Single rooms run about 300,000-450,000 won per month (US $300-450), and some include Korean-style breakfast and dinner and laundry machines. A disadvantage is the lack of privacy.

Another option is staying with a local family. This can be an excellent opportunity to experience Korean life and culture, but again, the lack of privacy can be a disadvantage. Most instructors who live in such homestays eventually move into private accommodations.

Finally, some people rent rooms in inns (yogwans) on a monthly basis. This is similar to staying in a lodging house, at about the same cost, but with no food provided. Inns offer far less security and less privacy than lodging houses as well. Some yogwans cater to short-term clients and criminals, so staying in one may cause some Koreans to treat you with a lack of respect.

TICKETS HOME
Some institutes promise to provide tickets home upon completion of a contract or to reimburse teachers for the trip to Korea. One should be aware that sometimes this commitment is not honored. Consider requesting an open-ended round trip ticket in advance.

WORKING HOURS
Most institutes require foreign instructors to teach five to six hours per day, Monday through Friday, and some also ask instructors to teach Saturday morning as well. Universities will usually require 10 to 15 hours per week plus participation in student activities, such as editing school newspapers. Research centers usually require 40 hours per week, with occasional uncompensated overtime. Saturday morning is a normal part of the Korean work week. Teachers may have to teach early morning or late evening classes to accommodate working students.

CLASS SIZE
This is usually not spelled out in the contract. Private institutes usually have classes between 10 to 20 students, while universities can have as many as 100 students in a class.

SEVERANCE PAY (Taechikum)
The Embassy receives many inquiries and complaints about severance pay issues. It is a good idea to broach this subject early in your employment, and to be prepared for resistance. By Korean law, discussed below, all full-time employees – Korean or foreign – are entitled to receive severance pay of one month’s salary for each year of employment. Employers cannot ask you to waive this, nor can they get around it by employing you on an 11-month contract. However, Korean courts have ruled that unless a hakwon instructor teaches 40 or more hours per week, as spelled out contractually, he or she is not ‘full-time’ and is not eligible for severance pay.

The Ministry of Labor has jurisdiction over severance pay matters. In Korea, dial 1350. If calling from the U.S., dial 011-82-1350. The Ministry of Education may also, at your request, call employers to remind them of their legal obligations. If you have exhausted all other avenues and feel that you need to take legal action, the Embassy can provide you with a list of local attorneys.

Severance pay rights are covered by the Labor Standards Act of the Korean Legal Code. English language translations of the Code are available at the Kyobo Bookstore, located near the Embassy. The key provisions of the Labor Standards Act as they relate to severance pay include the following:

Article 28 (Retirement Allowance System): 1) An employer shall establish a system by which average wage of not less than thirty days per year for each consecutive year employed shall be paid as retirement allowance to a retired employee. Provided, however, that this shall not apply in cases in where the period of employment is less than one year.

Article 5 (Equal Treatment): No employer may include any discrimination in the terms of labor conditions because of nationality, religion or social status.

Article 10 (Scope of Application) stipulates that the act applies to all enterprises except small family businesses, domestic servants, and those exempted by Presidential decree.

KOREAN TAXES
Most foreign employees are required to pay Korean income taxes, which are generally withheld and paid by the employer. Teachers working for colleges or universities are sometimes entitled to an exemption from paying Korean taxes for up to two years because of the U.S.-Korea Tax Treaty.

Article 20 of the Korean tax code: An individual who is a resident of a contracting State, and who at the invitation of any university, college, or other recognized educational institution, visits the other contracting State for a period not exceeding two years solely for the purpose of teaching, or research or both at such educational institution shall be taxable only in the first mentioned State on his remuneration for such teaching or research.

The Tax Office maintains a list of institutes that are tax exempt. This provision applies only to teachers employed at universities, research centers, or university-operated institutes (teachers at hakwons and private companies have to pay taxes). The General Affairs section of the university or research center should be able to apply for the exemption. If the institute wrongly withholds taxes, it is required to pay a refund.

For guidance on these matters, contact the Korean Tax Office, as it has been helpful in arranging compliance with these provisions. The office also publishes an English language Income Tax Guide for Foreigners. This guidebook comes out in April of each year and is available free from any tax office. The Korean tax year runs from May 31 to the following May 1, with May income estimated. In most instances, one’s employer files the appropriate tax forms, but if the employer does not file, the individual must do so.

If you believe that your employer is not complying with Korean tax laws, your first step should be to discuss the matter with him or her. If that does not work, you should discuss the matter with the Korean Tax Office, International Taxation Division, 397-1447, or the nearest Korean Tax Office. If the problem is still not solved, you may wish to contact an attorney.

PENSION PROGRAM
Foreigners living in Korea are required to pay into the national pension plan, just as foreigners living in the U.S. must pay into Social Security. An agreement effective April 1, 2001 between the U.S. and Korea improves Social Security protection for people who work or have worked in both countries. For more information on this agreement, please see the website for the Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov.

These payments are a common source of concern for ESL teachers. You can learn more about how the system works in Korea at www.npc.or.kr, or call the general affairs department of the National Pension Center at 02-2240-1085. It is a good idea to apply for pension a month before leaving the country. You will need to provide your U.S. passport, certificate of alien registration, bank book or number, copy of one-way ticket to home country, and contact number and email address.

U.S. TAXES
Americans residing abroad are not exempt from filing requirements, but are, under certain conditions, entitled to exclusions on foreign-earned income. More information on overseas income and filing is available from the IRS website www.irs.gov. Federal tax forms can be downloaded from the IRS website (only a limited number of copies for the federal tax forms are available at the Embassy).

CONTACTING THE IRS

PHONE SERVICES
Individuals 1-800-829-1040
Business 1-800-829-4933
Available 24 hours
Philadelphia Service Center 1-215-516-2000

ELECTRONIC SERVICES
IRS Home Page: www.irs.gov

MEDICAL INSURANCE
Foreign instructors are entitled to Korean medical insurance through their employer. This should be clarified at the time of acceptance of employment. Employers often buy the minimum policy required, which provides about 400,000 won (about $400) worth of coverage. Those desiring more coverage should negotiate with their employers or buy their own.

Medical care in Korea is generally good, but while not as expensive as in the United States, can still be costly. Many practitioners and hospitals will not accept overseas health insurance and may require payment before treatment. It is therefore very important for individuals to make sure that insurance or funds are available in case medical care is needed. The Embassy maintains a list of English-speaking medical and dental care providers in Korea, as well as a list of insurers willing to write policies for Americans residing in Korea.

 

Another option is staying with a local family. This can be an excellent opportunity to experience Korean life and culture, but again the lack of privacy can be a disadvantage. Most instructors who live in such homestays eventually move into more private accommodations.

Finally, some people rent rooms in yokwans (inns) on a monthly basis. This is similar to staying in a lodging house, at about the same cost with no food provided, but offers far less security and less privacy as well. Some yokwans cater to short-term clients and criminals, so staying in a yokwan may cause some Koreans to treat you with a lack of respect.

TICKETS HOME
Some institutes promise to provide tickets home upon completion of a contract or to reimburse teachers for the trip to Korea. One should be aware that sometimes this commitment is not honored. Consider requesting an open-ended round trip ticket in advance. Please note that the Embassy does not have funds to help you obtain tickets home.

WORKING HOURS
Most institutes require foreign instructors to teach five to six hours per day, Monday through Friday, and some also ask instructors to teach Saturday morning as well. Universities will usually require 10 to 15 hours per week plus participation in student activities such as editing school newspapers. Research centers usually require 40 hours per week, with occasional uncompensated overtime. Saturday morning is a normal part of the Korean work week. Teachers may have to teach early morning or late evening classes to accommodate working students.

CLASS SIZE
This is usually not spelled out in the contract. Private institutes usually have classes of between 10 to 20 students, while universities can have as many as 100 students in a class.

SEVERANCE PAY (Taechikum)
The Embassy receives many inquiries and complaints about severance pay issues. It is a good idea to broach this subject early in your employment, and to be prepared for resistance. By Korean law, discussed below, all full-time employees, Korean or foreign, are entitled to receive severance pay of one month’s salary for each year of employment. Employers cannot ask you to waive this, nor can they get around it by employing you on an 11-month contract. However, Korean courts have ruled that unless a Hakwon instructor actually TEACHES 40 or more hours per week, as spelled out contractually, he is NOT ‘full-time’ and is NOT eligible for severance pay.

The Ministry of Labor has jurisdiction over severance pay matters. The Ministry of Labor’s general number is (02) 503-9727. The International Labor Policy Division of the Ministry of Labor (Tel 02-504-7338) may, at your request, call employers to remind them of their legal obligations. The Ministry of Education may, at your request, call employers to remind them of their legal obligations. If you have exhausted all other avenues and feel that you need to take legal action, the Embassy can provide you with a list of local attorneys.

Severance pay rights are covered by the Labor Standards Act of the Korean Legal Code. English language translations of the Code are available at the Kyobo Bookstore, located near the Embassy. The key provisions of the Labor Standards Act as they relate to severance pay include the following

Article 28 (Retirement Allowance System) 1) An employer shall establish a system by which average wage of not less than thirty days per year for each consecutive year employed shall be paid as retirement allowance to a retired employee. Provided, however, that this shall not apply in cases in where the period of employment is less than one year.

Article 5 (Equal Treatment) No employer may include any discrimination in the terms of labor conditions because of nationality, religion or social status.

Article 10 (Scope of Application) stipulates that the act applies to all enterprises except small family businesses, domestic servants, and those exempted by Presidential decree.

KOREAN TAXES
Most foreign employees are required to pay Korean income taxes, which are generally withheld and paid by the employer. Teachers working for colleges or universities are sometimes entitled to an exemption from paying Korean taxes for up to two years because of the U.S.-Korea Tax Treaty.

Article 20 of the Korean tax code states An individual who is a resident of a contracting State, and who at the invitation of any university, college, or other recognized educational institution, visits the other contracting State for a period not exceeding two years solely for the purpose of teaching, or research or both at such educational institution shall be taxable only in the first mentioned State on his remuneration for such teaching or research.

The Tax Office maintains a list of institutes that are tax exempt. This provision applies only to teachers employed at universities, research centers, or university-operated institutes. (Teachers at hakwons and at private companies have to pay taxes.) The General Affairs section of the university or research center should be able to apply for the exemption. If the institute wrongly withholds taxes, it is required to pay a refund.

For guidance on these matters contact the Korean Tax Office, as they have been helpful in arranging compliance with these provisions. They also publish an English language Income Tax Guide for Foreigners. This guidebook comes out in April of each year, and is available free from any tax office. The Korean tax year runs from May 31 to the following May 1, with May income estimated. In most instances, one’s employer files the appropriate tax forms, but if they do not file, the individual must do so.

If you believe that your employer is not complying with Korean tax laws, your first step should be to discuss the matter with him or her. If that does not work, you should discuss the matter with the Korean Tax Office, International Taxation Division, 397-1583/4, or the nearest Korean Tax Office. If the problem is still not solved, you may wish to contact an attorney.

PENSION PROGRAM
Foreigners living in Korea are required to pay into the national pension plan, just as foreigners living in the U.S. must pay into Social Security. An agreement effective April 1, 2001 between the U.S. and Korea improves Social Security protection for people who work or have worked in both countries. For more information on this agreement, please see the website for the Social Security Administration

These payments are a common source of concern for ESL teachers. Follow this link to learn more about how the system works in Korea (on the main page is a link to an abbreviated version of the site in English), or call the general affairs department of the National Pension at 02-2285-2618.

U.S. TAXES
Americans residing abroad are not exempt from filing requirements, but are, under certain conditions, entitled to exclusions on foreign-earned income. More information on overseas income and filing is available from the IRS publications “Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens Abroad” and “Overseas Filers of Form 1040.” These and other Federal tax forms are available at the Embassy, or may be downloaded at U.S. Federal Tax Forms. moreMEDICAL INSURANCE
Foreign instructors are entitled to Korean medical insurance through their employer. This should be clarified at the time of acceptance of employment. Employers often buy the minimum policy required, which provides about 400,000 won (about $500) worth of coverage. Those desiring more coverage should negotiate with their employers or buy their own.

Medical care in Korea is generally good, but, while not as expensive as in the United States, can still be costly. Many practitioners and hospitals will not accept overseas health insurance, and may require payment before treatment. It is therefore very important for individuals to make sure that insurance or funds are available in case medical care is needed. The Embassy maintains a list of English-speaking medical and dental care providers in Korea, as well as a list of insurers willing to write policies for Americans residing in Korea.

Teaching English

Cultural Pitfalls

DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS
Many types of people teach English in Korea. Some are professionally trained, with degrees. Some are members of TESOL. Some hold graduate degrees in other disciplines and teach in Korea because they want to experience another culture. Others teach English while doing other things, such as research. Some are merely seeking any kind of work to help pay school bills, and some are just passing through.

Different teachers have different expectations. They bring their own unique perspectives to their jobs, as well as their own individual reactions to new circumstances. Some expect to be revered and are shocked when they are not; others expect to make a lot of money but later find they actually earn about what a unionized bus driver in Seoul does. Others expect to receive a large Western-style house and are disappointed to find themselves living in a modest room. Some teachers have been dismayed to find that their rooms were not air conditioned, and that they would have to work on their birthdays. Having realistic expectations and a flexible attitude prior to starting employment as a teacher in Korea will help prepare you for the inevitable stress and possible disappointment you may encounter.

SHORT-TERM INSTITUTES
The Korean ESL market is extremely competitive. There are over 100,000 institutes of all types in Korea, most of them small-scale operations. Due to the competitive nature of the ESL business in Korea, many institutes do not survive long. They open their doors, hire the first foreigner they can find, advertise, teach for a month or so, lose money and close. Most of these cannot and will not pay their teachers for work performed, or for contract-specified repatriation, leaving teachers uncompensated and stranded.

FOREIGNERS ARE NOT KOREAN
Korean society in general makes a great distinction between one’s inner circle of family, friends and business colleagues and outsiders. One should always treat one’s inner circle with complete respect and courtesy, while one treats strangers with more indifference. Korea is not an egalitarian society traditionally; one is either of a higher or a lower status than another. Foreigners do not fit neatly into either scheme. They are normally treated graciously as one would a guest, but they may never be able to break into that close, inner circle.

Koreans who travel abroad most often travel on group tours with other Koreans, or on business trips. Even now, with outbound tourism high, most Korean travelers still only visit friends, relatives, or Korean neighborhoods. Korean society thus remains very inwardly focused. As a result, foreigners exist only as stereotypes for many Koreans and are not always liked. Living in Korea as a foreigner requires patience and fortitude. Many foreigners have found Koreans can be quite friendly and warm, but a foreigner will seldom be accepted as part of the inner circle; he or she will almost always be an outsider looking in.

SOCIAL STATUS OF TEACHERS
Teachers are usually treated with great respect in Korea. However, it is also important to exhibit the kind of personal qualities and behavior that help maintain that respect. A foreign teacher who acts disrespectfully – such as dressing or behaving too casually or informally or losing his/her temper with a boss – would be held in great disdain by most Koreans and runs the risk of getting into serious trouble with both his/her employer and the Korean Immigration Office. In other words, you should always present a mature, discreet, dignified, and respectful manner. As a foreigner in Korea you will be highly visible, and you may find living here to be like living in a fish bowl, with everyone around you watching what you do with great interest. Remember that Korean society is more conservative than American society in many ways, and try to abide by local norms.

THE ESL PROFESSION IS NOT CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL BY SOME KOREANS
By and large, Koreans do not think teaching ESL is a professional occupation. In fact, many believe any native speaker will do. This, of course, is based partially on reality – many ESL instructors in Korea have not had any professional training in teaching.

KOREAN BOSSES
Korean society is extremely hierarchical. The boss is the boss; he/she is never openly questioned or criticized. The same mistreatment you may feel you have received from him/her is probably not limited to his/her foreign employees. If he/she has done so to you, he/she probably also reneges on contracts and makes unreasonable demands of his Korean employees as well. As a result, you should be careful in how you deal with your employer. When discussing issues that might become difficult, you should make sure not to lose your temper, raise your voice, or speak in less than respectful language.

LACK OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION
Personal interaction and communication within Korean society is often indirect. Many things are left unsaid, but are still understood. Of course, foreigners often do not understand. It is important that you understand what is expected and required up front, and that any misunderstanding be solved early on. Otherwise, problems may develop.

Updated August 28, 2006

 

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