Lost on Jeju

The Latest English Camp on Jeju "Controversy"

2012-02-01T12:31:00.005+09:00

So I went over to visit a friend at her workplace for lunch. When I arrived I saw that she was reading posts on the local Yahoo Group. She asked me if I had read about the "controversy" involving the Jeju International English Camp. I admitted that I haven't been on the 'net lately so I'm a bit more clueless than usual.

We spent lunch reading the posts on the Yahoo Group "Rhymes with Jeju." I found everything rather interesting and, though I hate to say this, I think the moderator over at Rhymes handled the situation rather well. Kudos to the HMFIC at Rhymes.

The last thing I read mentioned this blog. Apparently, the writer thought I should write something about what was going on. So, never one to pass up an opportunity to piss someone off, I decided to write a sentence or two about what I read today.

First, I have to ask a rhetorical question. Did any of those people who were caught up in the latest shenanigans do any research before they signed up to work at the place? The place hasn't changed its name and the "Mr. Lee" character hasn't changed his name. If you do a simple Google search and read beyond the first couple of pages of hits you WILL find information that should make you pause or at least cause you to dig a little deeper. This is especially true if you have access to a Korean speaker and can search the Korean sources of information. I did a Google search and a Korean (Naver & Daum) search and what did I find? Yep, information and newspaper articles about the camp written well before the latest "controversy." In other words, the organization involved has a documented history of screwing people (students, parents, and teachers) over.

Consequently, although I feel bad for the people who were vicitmized (Korean and Foreign), my feelings are mitigated by the fact that information about the place is available but apparently wasn't accessed. Or, even more worrisome, if it was accessed, it wasn't taken to heart. Heck, even I wrote about the place waaaaayyyyy back in 2007 and then I referenced it again in 2009.

Some foreigners, when doing research about Jeju, concentrate on nothing more than beaches, bars and babes. That isn't research. That's bullsh*t.

I am happy that in the latest incident, the foreigner involved seems to be a two-legged pitbull and won't let the operator of the camp get away so easily. In some ways I think if more teachers were like him, it might give shady organizations pause before messing over the next wide-eyed, gullible foreigner.

I hope the foreigner involved gets all the money due him. I wish him and his family all the best. I hope "Mr. Lee" is put out of busineess for good. But, alas, I doubt this is the last we'll hear about him. All he has to do is put the camp license in a family member's name, change the name of the camp and voila!, a new camp with a clean history. Sad but true.

A Few More Questions About A RIF

2012-01-25T04:41:00.007+09:00

I had a chance to read the article in the Jeju Weekly about NSET's being worried about budget cuts.

The quotes from the SMOE and Jeju representatives, not previously commented on in my last post, were interesting. I'm pressed for time, but here are a few quick observations

According to Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) Foreign Education Department Chief Choi Chun Ok, they have always intended to decrease the number of native English-speaking teachers when Korean English teachers were trained in Teaching English in English (TEE).

So, if the TEE is a national teaching certificate for Korean English teacher's (KET'S), what is the plan for TEE certified KET's on Jeju? Is there a plan to decrease the number of NSET's on Jeju when the amount of TEE licensed KET's reach a certain number? Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear defecate in the woods?

Kim said that though they are not resigning most high school foreign English teachers, “those wishing to renew their contracts would be moved to middle or elementary schools. ‘Losing their jobs’ is not a correct term. If they meet certain criteria for renewing their contract they will be moved.”

Common sense would dictate that the total number of jobs available will be smaller. I don't doubt that part of the vague "criteria" will be if a position is open. If not, well "Sorry Charlie, hit the road." "Losing their jobs is not a correct term" is laughable. Not having the ability to renew because no slots are available IS losing your job.

We need to recruit hundreds of foreign teachers a year for the time being in spite of the budget cuts. But the number will be reduced,” Choi stressed in an email interview with The Weekly.

Finally, in the midst of all the carefully prepared bureaucratic double-speak, a glimmer of honesty.

However, it is time to reevaluate the cost-effectiveness, considering a huge sum of budget (about 52 billion won, or US$45 million annually). So we are changing our policy from quantity expansion to quality improvement,” said Choi.

I saw almost the exact same rationale when reading stories of corporations in the West "downsizing." Yeah, the corporate workers didn't "lose their jobs," they were "downsized."

SMOE said the three reasons influencing the budget cut to middle school English teachers are the improvement of Korean English teachers in TEE, that according to their research foreign English teachers are most effective in elementary schools, and the need to provide cost-effective quality programs.

So, it one short sentence it went from cutting high school NSET's to now an admission about Middle School NSET's. If you remember from above they said high school teachers would simply be moved to middle schools. But the middle school jobs will be cut also. They seem to be confused as to which story they are sticking to. And the above reasoning can't/won't be used on Jeju because............?

Kim insisted that though there will be fewer annual contracts, “there will be more openings for after-school English classes. So it is hard to measure how many teaching jobs will be affected.” Kim continued that this does not signify a nationwide trend which many have feared. Other cities have their own funds to hire foreign English teachers.

The afternoon teachers will be TaLK teachers, most probably. If not, then they will be offered to the odd F-2/F-4 type. I believe the number of E-2 jobs is going to be reduced. The others are cheaper and require less "upkeep" than the average E-2 EPIK teacher.

Other cities and provinces have far less money to spend on NSET's than Seoul/Gyeonggi - remember that.

Tell me Mr. Kim, what has been done in Seoul, as far as English education is concerned, that hasn't been copied all over the country?

Lee continued that even though they require seven fewer teachers, she has no intentions of not renewing contracts. “We have a re-evaluation system, so if they pass they are going to be renewed.” This is identical to what Kim said in reference to SMOE foreign English teachers.

Wow. Just like Seoul. Imagine that. Now, let me hypothesize. Let's say all teachers on Jeju want to renew and they pass the "re-evaluation" with its vague "criteria" (just like Seoul). But there are 7 fewer positions? So, 7 teachers will be told thanks but no thanks regardless. Right?

Currently, Jeju EPIK has 151 foreign English teachers on staff, which is the same as last year. In February, there will be 144.

So, the number of EPIK teachers on the island will be reduced starting in February. I'm not sure. Is that about a 4% to 5% reduction in force - now?

I think there is some miscommunication here. It appears that those who are answering the questions may think "losing a job" is like being involuntarily terminated. If the amount of "slots" is going to be reduced they don't seem to think of it as "losing." But to the teachers, not having a "slot" to renew into is losing a job. A RIF through attrition is still a RIF.

On Jeju, she said, it is not the budget that dictates how many teachers they hire, it comes down to the amount of cumulative hours the schools need. “Budget cuts don't come first,” Lee said.

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ That's funny. So every school on Jeju that wants a NSET, has one, right? Wrong. Why not? Budget. What Ms. Lee is talking about here, I believe, is something called "contact hours." If the school desires a certain number of contact hours with a NSET, that's fine. What is not stipulated is what kind of teacher will provide the contact hours. Will they be the less costly TaLK teachers or hourly instructors (F-2/F-4/F-5) or the more expensive and cumbersome salaried EPIK teachers. Remember, to many in the decision making sphere, a NSET is a NSET is a NSET. Ms. Lee has already told us about the TaLK teachers assuming additional responsibilities that were previously reserved for EPIK teachers ("regular classes").

Though Lee could not definitely say if the budget cuts in Seoul would be start a nationwide trend, she was confident that “If they teach students properly and if they have a good relationship with their teachers they shouldn't be worried.”

Wow. In this short paragraph there are 3 "if's." Interesting. Uh oh, here we go. I can't count how many times I have heard teachers complain about being threatened with not being able to renew if they don't go to the yearly language festival or don't "volunteer" to participate in something else.

Here is something else to think about. I have heard that the Jeju education guru's have been given the green light to ramp up, significantly, the number of Chinese and/or Japanese language programs by any number of means, after school classes, language centers, etc. etc. What effect will that have on the predominance of English programs/teachers? Will there be a desire for parity between the different languages? If so, then you "Take some from here and give it to there." Cut a few 1+'s and save some money to be spent on Chinese/Japanese teachers. Only hire F-2's on an hourly rate and save some money for more Chinese/Japanese teachers. Have TaLK teachers teach regular classes for less money while having the right number of hours. Increase the contractual teaching hours from 22 to 24 or 26 or even 30, with a mandatory 2 or 3 schools, to cover the contact hours shortfall..... It goes on and on.

Taking a look at what is happening up north, the following may be a harbinger of things to come. Look at these 2 job ads from Dave's ESL Cafe:

Hanyoung Foreign Language High School is looking for responsible and enthusiastic instructors to teach English conversation class.
Requires B.A.,
Mon-Fri(8:00AM-3:40PM, usually till 2:40PM) , part-time(you can come when your class starts and go home when your class finishes)
30,000KRW/hr(1,000KRW of pay raise after a year up to it reaches 35,000KRW/hr), 28hr/wk, no classes during mid-term & final exams and school holidays(Will also get paid during those exams and classes cancelled by school events, but not during summer/winter holidays), Offers a single flight fare to Korea, health insurance,
Housing support : School pays 90% of the rent deposit(plus 350,000KRW support for monthly rent),

and this one....

Daewon Foreign Language High School (www.dwfl.hs.kr) is the most prestigious high school in the country. We send more students to the top Korean and US universities than any other high school in Korea.

Subject: English conversation and debate
Pay: 33,000 won per hour
Hours: 24 hours a week, Monday to Friday, usually between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM
Term: March to December
Fringe benefits: four basic insurances required by the government
Housing: none
Preferred: F-2, F-4, or F-5 visa, a degree from a top US university, able to work at Daewon for at least 3 years

Subject: AP English
Pay: 100,000 won per hour
Hours: 12 hours a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, between 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM
Term: March to December
Fringe benefits: none
Housing: none
Required: F-2, F-4, or F-5 visa, a degree from an Ivy League or similar school (Stanford, Chicago, etc.), able to work at Daewon for at least 3 years, able to score at least 750 on both SAT Critical Reading and Writing

Now I know the FLHS' are a somewhat different animal. However, friends tell me that most, if not all, follow the GEPIK contract and are supported by the government for NSET salaries. Here we have job ads looking for hourly employees to teach at high schools, with a no work - no pay stipulation and few, if any, of the usual benefits given to (G)EPIK style teachers. If I remember correctly, the second school used to advertise for salaried teachers. I think this may be something we may see in the future.

I don't know for sure what the future may hold. I may be crying wolf. However, I still stand by my prediction about the future with regards to NSET's on Jeju.

Have a great week.

Nice Video - Arigato

2012-01-24T17:59:00.005+09:00

I received this from a friend, who received it from a friend, etc., etc.

I know there are some expats on Jeju who donated or otherwise tried to help. This video is for you.

RIF on Jeju - Some More Info

2012-01-20T21:01:00.002+09:00

The good folks at Jeju Weekly were kind enough to send me some information concerning the posts I did concerning a possible RIF of NSET's on Jeju. I thought I'd take the opportunity to post what I received and then add some comments.

From the good people at Jeju Weekly:

Hey, LOJ

For issue #66 of The Jeju Weekly, we have spoken to both Jeju EPIK and SMOE about the recent Seoul education budget cuts and its affects to Jeju.

Jeju Provincial Office of Education (POE) English Program in Korea (EPIK) Coordinator Sunny Lee is steadfast that Jeju will not experience budget cuts like those in Seoul.

“In Seoul [the budget cut] was a very enormous change, but in Jeju it is not like that,” Lee said in a telephone interview. “They won't cut funding like in Seoul.”

At the moment there is no plan to completely discontinue hiring native English teachers on the island. This year, Lee said, there will be seven less job openings than last year, but it has nothing to do with money.

“I calculate the school hours. Each school, they need a certain amount of hours,” and seven of them do not require an EPIK teacher to meet that quota, she said. “We have TALK scholars who only teach in the afternoon. They have too many afternoon classes so we are going to use TALK scholars in the regular classes.”

I really appreciate that Jeju Weekly was thoughtful enough to send this to me.

Now, understanding that I usually see a black cloud in a blue sky, let me comment.

My comments are in italics.

Jeju Provincial Office of Education (POE) English Program in Korea (EPIK) Coordinator Sunny Lee is steadfast that Jeju will not experience budget cuts like those in Seoul.

With respect, Ms. Lee is a mid-level functionary. She is not a decision-maker. As such I doubt she could be counted on as the definitive word on such matters. She is not, as far as I know, privy to discussions at nosebleed level in the Education Administration or in Provincial Assembly meetings. Consequently, her stating that she has not heard of anything doesn't mean actual decision-makers aren't planning something. I liken it to the stories I have heard of a NSET asking their co-teacher something about re-signing or pay or vacation and being told not to worry about it. Only later to be told "Oh, I'm sorry but the Principal said...." It is the same thing, in my opinion. Only at a much higher level. I believe evidence continues to mount for a RIF as demonstrated in Ms. Lee's later comments.

At the moment there is no plan to completely discontinue hiring native English teachers on the island. This year, Lee said, there will be seven less job openings than last year, but it has nothing to do with money.

I like the qualification "At the moment..." I have used the term "Reduction-in-Force (RIF) deliberately. A reduction is not an elimination. Will there continue to be NSET's on Jeju? I think so. Will the numbers be the same in 2014 as they are today? I would be willing to bet several months of an average EPIK teacher's pay that there will be 40% to 60% fewer EPIK/LC teachers than there are today, if not fewer.

I think the comment "...it has nothing to do with money" borders on the disingenuous. Of course it has to do with money. When it comes to NSET's, it always comes down to money. Our Korean friends have demonstrated this time after time after time. If you work for the Education Administration and are NOT teaching 22 hours a week, what do you hear as justification for giving you more classes, making you desk warm alone all winter or other duties? Riiiiight.

“I calculate the school hours. Each school, they need a certain amount of hours,” and seven of them do not require an EPIK teacher to meet that quota, she said. “We have TALK scholars who only teach in the afternoon. They have too many afternoon classes so we are going to use TALK scholars in the regular classes.”

So, we have the first example of lesser qualified, and cheaper, TaLK teachers being used to replace EPIK teachers in regular classes. This is a direct, unequivocal departure from the goals and purposes of the TaLK program. Thanks for providing more evidence that something may be in the wind. A TaLK teacher is not an EPIK teacher. They work for a lot less. There's that silly money thing again..... By the way, technically speaking, hiring seven less teachers this year (not replacing them) is a RIF. First the drips, then then the small breach, finally the flood.

I think it's great that the folks at the Jeju Weekly followed-up on the issue. It is just a shame that they were not able to get an actual in-person interview with a decision maker who wears a black suit, never smiles and is driven around in a big black car. However, even if they did, I doubt the person interviewed would admit to what I believe is in the wind.

Thanks, Jeju Weekly. It's nice to know you are looking into this matter.

For those who are reading this but are not regular readers of Jeju Weekly, I recommend you become a regular reader of the island's only English language paper. They put out a really nice publication. The layout is top-notch. It's worth the read for those who want to know about some of the interesting places and people on the island.

As far as I know, most of the people responsible for writing, proofing, editing, etc. at the Jeju Weekly work for nothing, zilch, nada. They deserve our support.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Summer English Camps on Jeju Update

2012-01-20T20:43:00.002+09:00

I received a comment to a post I did back in 2007 concerning the need to be vigilant when considering teaching at a summer camp on Jeju.

As I posted the comment on the original post, I looked at the dates of the other comments. Damn. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

If you are thinking of working at a camp on Jeju this coming summer, you might want to read the post and. especially, the comments. Note the dates the comments were sent in.

The title of the post in May, 2007 is "Teaching English on Jeju - A Warning"

I tried to link to the post, but I guess I'm screwing something up. It doesn't seem to want to link. So, if interested you can do a search from my archives sidebar.

Church on Jeju

2012-01-20T20:03:00.003+09:00

Those who have read my rantings from time to time may have realized that I am not a big fan of organized Christianity in Korea. The same goes for the organized Buddhist orders. Both seem more concerned with membership numbers, money and politics than anything else.

But that is just me. I do not look down or think anyone a fool if they are part of an organized religious group in Korea. If it gives someone, especially an expat so far from home, comfort, more power to you. God love ya.

So, even though it is not my thing, I want to pass along some information I received about a church on Jeju. I don't know the church or anything about it.

Here it is:

If you are looking for an English speaking church on Jeju Island in South Korea there is the Youngnak English Service held each Sunday morning at 11:00am. The Youngnak Church is one of the largest on the island (over 1600) and about 100 attend the English service. The two main pastors are from the United States and a number of foreign students, teachers and residents as well as English-speaking Koreans attend.

https://www.facebook.com/JejuYES

So, if interested, you can check it out.

Thanks to the person who provided the information.

Is A RIF Coming to Jeju - More Evidence?

2012-01-18T13:50:00.002+09:00

A friend who teaches for the Education Office told me something interesting today.

Apparently, an e-mail was sent out to the teachers from the Ivory Tower. While most of it had to do with basic items such as schedules and such, there was an interesting sentence:

Members of a provincial assembly keep raising a question of whether native teachers work enough as much as we pay.

Now, this could be the usual "All foreigners are lazy and overpaid" mantra we've all heard. Or, it could be evidence that serious questions are being asked regarding the return on investment (ROI) Jeju is receiving from having the current number native speaker teachers in schools and language centers.

As someone who never fails to see the black cloud in a clear blue sky, I believe it to be the latter.

I have said previously that I think a Reduction in Force (RIF) is coming to Jeju, just like it came to Seoul.

I recommend that those who work for the Jeju government, teaching in schools or language centers, start preparing for life after Jeju. It may come quicker than you think or want.

Although a RIF would not affect me personally, it would affect some of my acquaintances and, most importantly I believe, the children of Jeju.

Cutting NSET's: Is it coming to Jeju?

2012-01-03T22:17:00.002+09:00

Is the Pope Catholic?

From the JoongAng Ilbo

Seoul’s English teachers shocked at getting axe

Gov't-run high schools ending all their contracts

When Margaret Morris lost her job as a teacher at a high school in Tennessee due to budget cuts, a friend teaching in Seoul told her to hop on a plane.

“I heard wonderful things about Korea,” Morris said, “and also heard the Korean government was continuing to hire more foreign teachers to teach English. I thought that sounded terrific.” Morris arrived last August and ended up teaching at an all-girls high school in Suyu, Gangbuk District, northern Seoul.

But when her one-year contract with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education expires next August, Morris will once again be out of a job because of budget cuts.

“The school that I’m working for told me that they can place me either in an elementary or a middle school, but I’ve already started the application procedure to teach in a university,” Morris said. “I am happy to be here, and I don’t want to leave.”

A total of 255 foreign English teachers currently working at high schools in Seoul will have to start looking for a new job after the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education decided to use its 4.4 billion won ($3.8 million) budget in other ways.

After August, there will be no native English speakers teaching the language in Seoul’s public high schools.

The teachers are disappointed. They said they believed in the Lee Myung-bak administration’s policy of improving Korean students’ English, started in 2009, which was also supposed to diminish the gap between rich and poor students by giving good English education in public schools, especially in the capital.

“I heard that the government was continuing to expand the number of foreign English teachers coming here,” Morris said. “But now they want us gone.”

The education office also said it will gradually cut the budget for foreign teachers in elementary and middle schools too.

“The credibility [of the Korean government] is lost for the teachers who care enough to know what’s going on politically,” said Mark Mckeon, 24, who works at an elementary school in Seoul.

Starting from August 2009, the government hired 2,996 foreign English teachers in elementary, middle and high schools across the country, and the total number reached 6,255 as of last February. The government opens new positions in February and August.

The official goal was to “enable Koreans who graduate from high school to have conversations in English.”

But last November, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, which is controlled by rival parties to the ruling Grand National Party, announced the results of a public survey on the city’s English education policy and changes to the policy based on the survey.

A total of 43,742 people were surveyed, including 28,761 students, 11,980 parents, 2,406 Korean English teachers and 595 foreign English teachers at 1,282 elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul.

According to the city education office, 53.7 percent of the students said they preferred to learn English from Korean teachers, while 29.7 percent preferred foreign English teachers. In the survey, 42.1 percent of the students said they can’t understand what “native English teachers [who can’t speak Korean] are talking about.”

In addition, 62.2 percent of the parents surveyed “preferred Korean teachers who are fluent both in Korean and English to teach English classes at schools,” while only 26.9 percent of the parents preferred foreign teachers.

However, 62.4 percent of the parents and students said foreign English teachers are definitely needed.

As a result of the survey, the education office said it will “downsize the project to place native English teachers in high schools but focus on having them in lower grades.” It said that part of the budget used to hire the foreigners could be redeployed to give language training to Korean English teachers.

“The survey showed that more parents preferred Korean teachers who are fluent in both English and Korean over foreign English teachers,” said Kim Jong-wook, a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council from the Democratic Unity Party.

According to Choi Chun-ok, a supervisor at Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the survey results showed that the “efficacy of foreign English teachers is not as high as the amount of money that gets allocated to the project.”

The teachers say the program hasn’t worked too well because the city hired native speakers without any qualifications.

“They took so many people who either did not major in English or who have had no teaching experience at all,” said Morris. “People with no experience think teaching is an easy job, and they don’t know what it takes. It’s not just babysitting.”

In August, 252 foreign teachers will be let go from elementary schools and 200 from middle schools. A total of 4.9 billion won was cut from the 2012 budget to hire foreign English teachers at elementary and middle schools.

Stephanie Chao, 28, who also came to Seoul in August from New Zealand to teach at an elementary school in Chang-dong, northern Seoul, said she is “upset by the government’s decision” and insisted the government doesn’t really know what’s going on in the classrooms.

“I don’t think the current Korean co-teachers for English classes are up to teaching conversational English,” she said. “They lack fluency and pronunciation skills, and that’s where we come in,” Chao said. “I heard from other foreign teachers that their Korean co-teachers just stand at the back of the class and watch.”

Some foreign teachers want to lash back at the government’s decision, but they’ve been warned not to.

“Numerous foreign English teachers in Seoul were considering holding protests or taking some form of collective action to express dissatisfaction with the new plan,” Chao said. “But an official from the education office told us that wasn’t a good idea. He said Koreans would only hate us even more.”

Now I know for a fact that there are some teachers on Jeju who think "Hey, I have a good rep. All of my Principals/Managers/Pimps love me. Even if they cut teachers they won't get rid of me...... I'm special."

Yeah, right. The checks in the mail. I'm from the government and I'm here to help. I won't ..... in your mouth.

Get my drift? It is coming......

How Much Are You Worth? Not Much.

2011-12-26T11:37:00.004+09:00

I was on Dave's ESL this morning and came across an advertisement for a position at our own Jeju National University. Of course, I took a look to see what they were offering. Comments are in italics.

Here is the ad in its entirety:

Posted by: Department of English Education (Jeju National University)

* Qualifications
-A masterfs or more / TESL, TEFL or linguistic major preferred.
-At least two yearsf experience in teaching English as a foreign language
at college or university level.

* Duties
-The basic teaching load is 12 hours/wk for the 16 wk semester. (including Graduate
Courses) Subject to change depending on the schedule.
-Required actively to participate in various department activities.
-Required to work cooperatively with the members of department.
-Further details will be specified in the contract.

(Let's see: Your teaching load - meaning hours - is "subject to change." The change will be upward. I guarantee it. Don't fixate on the 12 hours and think you are only going to teach 12 hours a week. What about English Camps and "other activities?" There will probably be a lot more required than is spoken of here.)*

Financial statement
-2,000,000 won/month / Furnished Housing on campus is offered(31.96‡u).
(User pays: maintenance cost, electricity, water, gas charges, etc.)
(No air fare reimbursement)

(So lets's see: They want a Master's degree and two years of experience teaching at the university level. And for this you'll get a whole 2,000,000 Won. Now for those considering this, let's look at it a little closer: Two million Won minus a minimum of 3.3% taxes, minus about 90K in Pension contribution, minus about 35K for medical insurance, minus 60K - 100K for the "maintenance fee" and minus utilities. You'll be lucky to clear 1,400,000 to 1,550,000 each month. This is after you paying for your airfare to get to Jeju. Nice. By the way, the advertised salary is less than the average hagwon salary I see being offered. If being able to say "I teach at a National University" is worth, on average, 2,400,000 Won to you over the life of the contract, go for it.)

* Contract
-One year, from March 1, 2012 to February 28, 2013. (Annual renewal upon evaluation)
-All documents can not be returned.
-In case any false statements found later on your application, the contract will be invalid.

* Documents required
-Cover letter, Curriculum vitae, Copies of Degree(s)/Certificate(s),
-Transcripts (undergraduate and graduate),
-Copies of a passport (picture page) and the alien registration card,
-Letter of recommendation(s)
-A sample teaching plan for English writing.

(Lets's see, they want a "sample" teaching plan for a writing course. What level? What are the course objectives? How does it fit into the curriculum? Hmmmm.)

* Application Deadline
-No later than January 6, 2012
-Please apply by e]mail to the address below
-Only those applicants chosen for interview will receive notice through e-mail.

Department of English Education
Jeju National University
Ara 1-dong, 102 Jejudaehakno
Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, 690]756
Republic of Korea

If you are interested in this position you can find the contact info on Dave's ESL Cafe.

I think I'll pass.

(Update: Edited for numerous spelling errors. That's what you get when you type and post while talking to someone on the phone. Uggghhh.)

Getting Rid of NSET's Part II. Is a RIF Coming to Jeju?

2011-12-21T09:36:00.004+09:00

This morning I read in the KT that elementary school Native Speaker English Teacher's (NSET's) in Seoul are safe - for now. Below is the article in its entirety. (Emphasis mine)

No budget cut for foreign teachers at elementary schools

Foreign English teachers at elementary schools need not worry about losing their jobs at least for one more year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Tuesday that the city decided not to cut the budget allocated for foreign teachers at elementary schools. The budget for middle school teachers, however, will be cut by 2.3 billion won ($1.98 million).

In total, 29.2 billion won was allocated by the Seoul Metropolitan Council as next year’s budget for foreign teachers in elementary and middle schools.

Initially, the budget for elementary and middle schools was expected to be cut by a combined 4.9 billion won. The city council, however, decided to cut 2.3 billion won from middle schools and left the budget for elementary schools intact.

“The city council must have considered that the contracts for teachers working in middle schools expire in August. Some of those contracts will not be renewed in the fall semester. However, until then, they will not face any disadvantages in terms of salary,” said an official from the education office. On Dec. 8, the education office said it decided to cut 4.4 billion won from the budget for foreign English teachers in high schools. The budget cut was to maximize the cost efficiency of hiring foreign teachers, it explained.

Now if you read it closely, the next big hit will be on middle-school NSET's. Then, the elementary school NSET's will be subject to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF).

Why do I post this since I/we are on Jeju? I post this in my self-appointed role as prophet and all around seer-into-the-future. It is coming to Jeju ladies and gentlemen. Count on it.

If you are considering starting a job hunt back home or maybe in China - start it now.

If you are at the top of the pay scale on the island (Level 1+), I would start seriously planning for life after Jeju.

If you were surprised that they rehired you because of some problems you had at your previous school, start planning for life after Jeju.

I am NOT going too far out on a limb here when I predict that in March 2014 there will be fewer NSET's in public schools on Jeju. And those that are there may not be as experienced, or be able to command as high a salary, as their predecessors.

I would not be at all surprised, after factoring in the numbers being talked about up north, to see a 35% to 40% RIF of NSET's on Jeju within the next couple of years.

But that is just me. What the hell do I really know?

Jeju Becoming A Hub?

2011-12-20T09:30:00.003+09:00

From what I have been reading the last year, when combined with anecdotal evidence, leads me to believe that Jeju is actually becoming a "Hub."

Now we've all seen the signs along the "Peace road," and elsewhere, proclaiming Jeju to be the "Hub" of this or the "Hub" of that. If you are like me, you usually read these signs with a smirk. I often find myself thinking, "Yeah, right, whatever."

However, there is one area where the facts on the ground overwhelmingly support Jeju earning the reputation as a "Hub."

What is it? Well, it seems Jeju can rightfully claim the title of:

"Hub of Illegal Chinese Immigration!"

From Chosun Ilbo I read the following the other day:

Chinese Cruise Passengers Go AWOL in Jeju

A large group of Chinese tourists who arrived in Jeju Island on a luxury cruise has disappeared.

According to the Jeju office of the Korea Immigration Service and police on Monday, the 44 Chinese passengers arrived at the resort island on the Italian cruise ship Costa Classica on Sunday morning. After a sightseeing tour on the island, the 30 men and 14 women failed to return to the vessel.

Eleven were found later in two different hotels on the island and sent to the immigration office, but the whereabouts of the remaining 33 are unknown.

"They apparently were trying to find jobs in Korea as they took all of their belongings from the ship except for their passports," an immigration official said. "We will deport the others as soon as we find them."

This isn't the first time Jeju has been used as a entry/transit point for Chinese engaged in illegal immigration to Korea. Actually, it is becoming quite common according to those in the government I have spoken with lately.

The Korea Times even ran an article about a surge in the number of Chinese abusing the visa waiver program.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/01/117_79443.html

So Jeju, congrats. You may have joined the ranks of the true "Hubs" of the world.

Nice Blog About North Korea

2011-12-19T15:55:00.002+09:00

Well, I guess the big news is that the short fat guy up north is finally taking a well-deserved dirt-nap. Good riddance. With our luck he'll probably be reincarnated as a hagwon owner. He definitely has the skill set to pull it off.

Anyways, I was looking around the 'net and came across a blog by an American who took a trip to North Korea. I spent the better part of the afternoon reading and looking at the cute NK girls.

If interested you can find the blog, "An American in North Korea," here

http://americaninnorthkorea.com

Well, well, well... So we are finally starting to get a small glimpse of how much Jeju spent on the N7W

2011-12-15T18:39:00.005+09:00

From the Korea Times:

Jeju defers payment of phone bills for seven wonders

from the article:

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has not paid for hundreds of millions of international phone calls its employees made over the past few years to ensure the country’s southern resort island was selected as one of the New7Wonders of Nature in a worldwide poll.

A senior official overseeing the finances of the provincial government said Tuesday that it has asked KT, the country’s largest landline phone operator, to defer its phone bill indefinitely. He said the municipal administration is currently unable to make payments estimated to be about 20 billion won ($17 million).

........

“We asked KT to give us more time to make the payment. In the meantime, we expect KT to fulfill whatever business deals it has with the New7Wonders Foundation. I am 100 percent positive that Jeju will be confirmed as one of the new seven natural wonders,” he said.

When asked by The Korea Times, KT declined to comment on the issue, saying it cannot divulge client information.

KT, the country’s largest landline phone operator, signed an agreement with the New7Wonders Foundation to ensure phone voting was only possible through its lines. In return, the company promised to pay the Swiss-based organization a certain portion of its revenues as commission.

20 billion ..... BILLION...... Won and counting.

You notice from the last paragraph who is getting their cut, don't you? Yep, the "Non-profit" N7W group.

At least I tried, on this inconsequential blog, to raise the alarm about this whole thing when it first started. Too bad other media on the island didn't see fit to do the minutes of research (yes, minutes) it would have taken to expose this N7W scam and raise the alarm.

Even after all of this the powers-that-be are worried about losing the worthless designation - simply amazing.

Getting Rid of NSET's

2011-12-08T16:03:00.004+09:00

Well, according to what I read today in the Chosun Ilbo, phase 1 of "Get Rid of the Foreigners" may be starting. From the Chosun Ilbo:

Most native English-speaking teachers in about 300 high schools in Seoul could lose their jobs next year. In its budget for 2012, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education cut about W4 billion (US$1=W1,126) for 225 native speakers teaching at high schools......

and

The office also plans to reduce the number of native speakers teaching at elementary and middle schools from 2013.

Students from low-income families will likely bear the brunt of the policy. "Students from well-to-do families may find lessons from native English-speakers dull because they've been attending private tutoring institutes since they were young," an education official said. "But those from poor families should be given the opportunity to learn English with native speakers at school." He added it is "too early to reduce the number of native speakers as long as Korean teachers aren't good enough to replace them."

I know this is Jeju and not Seoul, but I see it as the start of a trend.

I know that there are government run foreign language centers in certain parts of the island that have NSET's. According to what I have been told, there is no tuition for classes at a foreign language center. I always wondered about this since there are NSET's in most of the schools. Now, I think I may have an answer. Kids can attend NSET staffed language centers for free and still get English instruction in school from Korean English teachers.

I see the day coming, not too far off, when fewer and fewer NSET's will be needed (or wanted) on Jeju.

That may not be such a bad thing.

Don't be fooled by the weather.

2011-12-04T20:11:00.004+09:00

One of the things that confuses newcomers to the island is the weather.

Mt. Halla really affects the weather on the island. The difference in the weather on different parts of the island can be significant.

For example, yesterday it was overcast a little chilly in Jeju City. However, Seogwipo was quite sunny and comfortable.

More than once I have been fooled into the thinking it was going to be a clear and sunny day. Then, when I drove to another part of the island, I found myself trying to stay out of the rain.

One of my favorite pictures of Jeju is one taken from space. In the satellite picture below you can see how Mt. Halla impacts the wind and clouds.

Long ago I made it a habit to carry an umbrella or rain jacket in my car or bag, just in case the weather gods of Jeju fool me yet again.

New 7 Wonders Under Fire For Cash Demands

2011-11-29T22:29:00.003+09:00

(The following story appeared in "The Age" in Australia. It says it all. There is little that I need to add. I will paste the entire story here in case the link at the bottom doesn't work properly.)

A campaign to find the world's most popular natural wonders, promoted as a contribution to environmental protection, has been attacked as little more than a moneymaking exercise.

There have been accusations that several of the more obscure places on the "New7Wonders of Nature" list, announced earlier this month, owe their ranking less to their beauty than to the readiness of tourism or marketing organisations to stump up cash – including taxpayers' money – in their support.

Tourism authorities in the Maldives and Indonesia, which both withdrew their backing for the project earlier this year, have cited concerns over voting methods and "hidden" costs, while Unesco – the agency of the United Nations dedicated to protecting natural and man-made sites – has repeatedly distanced itself from the project.

A provisional list of seven wonders – including little-known islands in South Korea and the Philippines – was published on November 11. People had been encouraged to vote for free online or by paid text message to help compile it from a shortlist of 28. That shortlist had itself been whittled down from an original list of more than 400 submitted since the launch of the project in 2007 by the Zurich-based New7Wonders Foundation (N7W).

Each of the 28 finalists had to be represented by an "official supporting committee (OSC)", which was charged an initial $US199 ($A195) "administration fee". The government-funded Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) – which submitted the islands as a candidate – claims that organisers later demanded up to $US350,000 in "sponsorship fees" and hundreds of thousands more to organise an extravagant "world tour" event. The cost to the country's economy would have been more than $US500,000.

Organisers also allegedly tried to charge a local telecommunications company, Dhiraagu, $US1 million for the right to take part in the campaign, a fee that was reduced to $US500,000 when Dhiraagu complained. Despite pulling out, the Maldives was kept on the voting lists by organisers, but was not chosen as one of the winners.

Tourism authorities in Indonesia claim that organisers requested $10 million in licensing and sponsorship fees, and $US35 million to organise an event. A letter was reportedly sent to the country's tourism ministry saying that Indonesia's entry – Komodo Island – would be suspended from the shortlist unless the licensing fee was paid. N7W denies this. Indonesian authorities pulled out, threatening legal action, while organisers sought, successfully, to find a new OSC for Komodo. Last week Komodo was named as one of the seven winning entries.

N7W describes itself as a not-for-profit organisation, but the company behind it – the New Open World Corporation (NOWC) – is a commercial business. All licensing and sponsorship money is paid to NOWC and correspondence sent to entrants uses the address of a Panama-based law firm. There are no contact details for either company on the N7W website.

Simon Hawkins, director of the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation, said: "In principle it isn't a bad idea, but there is no transparency."

Having spoken to other tourism authorities – including representatives from Indonesia – he said: "There's no rate card – it just seems to be a case of getting what they can. The competition is a complete waste of time and taxpayers' money. Pulling out was the best thing we ever did. Since we withdrew, visitor numbers have risen by 20 per cent year on year."

Mr Hawkins also claimed that the voting system, which allows people to vote multiple times, was undemocratic and open to abuse, and said that no breakdown of numbers had been published. "It's no coincidence that every country that held a promotional event has come in the top seven," he added.

Jeju Island, an outpost of South Korea, staged an N7W event in April; this month it was named one of the seven provisional winners.

A spokesman for Tourism Australia said the organisation had paid a $US199 fee for the rights to use "New 7 Wonders" branding in its PR, social media and marketing activities to promote Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef as contenders.

Tourism Australia declined the sponsorship opportunities and were not pressured by the organisers, the spokesman said. Neither Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef made the list.

Katherine Webster, director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, which supported the Irish attraction, said the soft drinks company 7up had approached her, offering sponsorship, until the cliffs became one of the 28 finalists, but then backed out. She said N7W then contacted her, suggesting that she should find a new sponsor. She refused, and says no public money was paid directly to NOWC – although PR resources were dedicated to the campaign.

Eamonn Fitzgerald, a spokesman for N7W, rejected claims that the competition lacked transparency or that fees were "hidden". He said the campaign was delivered "without taxpayer subsidies", but added that "OSCs may be funded by governments".

He confirmed that varying amounts of sponsorship had been provided on behalf of the finalists, and that each of the winners would be staging events next year. However, he declined to discuss "the nature of confidential contracts" or to reveal how much had been paid to NOWC.

He said the voting system was a widely used format, and likened it to that of television shows such as The X Factor. He added that voting was independently audited, but declined to supply a breakdown of numbers.

A previous N7W campaign to uncover the most popular man-made attractions, which concluded in 2007, garnered an estimated 100 million votes, according to Mr Fitzgerald, but the latest one had exceeded that number, with a large proportion of votes cast by text message. Although voting online was free, charges applied for text messaging, of which a proportion went to NOWC. Mr Fitzgerald said that once operating costs had been deducted, half of any surplus revenue would go to N7W.

N7W recently announced another project, to find the world's most popular cities.

The winners

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Iguazu Falls, Brazil and Argentina

Jeju Island, South Korea

Komodo, Indonesia

The Amazon, South America

Puerto Princesa, The Philippines

Table Mountain, South Africa

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/new-seven-wonders-list-under-fire-over-cash-demands-20111128-1o2ue.html

As I have repeatedly stated from the very beginning - THIS WHOLE N7W THING STINKS LIKE ROTTEN FISH!!!

Again I ask:

(1) "How much did Korea/Jeju/Hyundai/LG/Samsung pay to the the N7W (NOWC)?"

(2) "How much are they contractually obligated to pay in the future for things like the inauguration events?"

Look again at the parts of the article I highlighted. Is this the type of "Global recognition" Jeju Island wants or needs? Two words come to mind - "laughing stock."

Be careful what you ask for because you might just get it.

....And One More Thing: How Much Is The N7W Costing Jeju .... Really?

2011-11-28T10:12:00.006+09:00

I was listening to the announcement for the New 7 Wonders again this morning. Why the heck I can't let this go, I don't know.

I was drawn again to the following comment during the announcement by the N7W salesman:

"Once the voting validation process is completed, in early 2012, we will then work with the confirmed winners to organize the official inauguration events during which each winner will receive the official plaque and will become officially confirmed as one of the new seven wonders of nature."

I was reminded of something. In a previous post I wrote:

In the August 16, 2011 edition of Asia Travel News it reported that:

JAKARTA, Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism withdrew from the nomination of the Komodo National Park as the finalists of the New Seven Wonders of Nature or the New Seven Wonders of The World. Indonesia retreated after being asked to pay 45 million U.S. dollars, or approximately IDR 383.8 billion....

He claimed to be deceived by the New 7 Wonders Foundation. Withdrawals made after the New 7 Wonders Foundation, has threatened to issue a Komodo National Park from the list of 28 finalists because Indonesia refused to host the declaration of the winner of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

To host the New 7 Wonders Foundation requires Indonesia to pay 10 million U.S. dollars, or about IDR 85.4 billion as a license. Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry also have to prepare money 35 million U.S. dollars, or IDR 298.7 billion for the cost of organizing the event in Indonesia.

(Funny how Komodo was selected after they started to blow the whistle on this whole charade.)

Again I ask the Jeju N7W people: How much is the N7W thing costing Jeju? And dammit, stop insulting our intelligence by saying that Jeju has only spent $100 for the application fee. Sheesh.

How much will the "inauguration events" cost Jeju? Is there a "license fee?" C'mon, if the N7W thing is so darn wonderful, why can't the true cost be stated publicly?

My Take On Jeju New 7 Wonders Selection

2011-11-27T17:30:00.011+09:00

Since the news came out that, NOT surprisingly, Jeju purchased... uhhhh... I mean "was selected," yeah that's right, "was selected" (wink, wink) for the New 7 Wonders thing I have been reading some of the comments on other blogs and websites.

It seems like the vast majority of comments have been of the "WTF?" variety. Those that posted and commented can't seem to understand how Jeju was selected, blah, blah, blah.

Let me extend a very late welcome to the party. But I do have a question, just where in the heck were you when this was all beginning to take shape? I, and some other bloggers in Indonesia of all places, have been writing and writing and writing about how the N7W thing is nothing more than a money making scheme.

I showed that the N7W organization was not transparent about how the sites were chosen and its claims of economic benefits resulting from being selected are suspect at best. I did this months ago. I wrote my opinion and I provided links to their own documents that showed what they were doing. Proverbially speaking, I was the lone man screaming in he wilderness - to no avail.

I saw an article in the Jeju Weekly where a reporter had started to question the people responsible for the Jeju N7W thing about the costs, etc.

I thought, "Good. Here we go. They are going to start asking the hard questions." But it was not to be. The ludicrous answers provided in response to the reporter's questions went unchallenged. I, for one, couldn't help but feel that our collective intelligence was being insulted by the Jeju official who responded to the reporter's questions.

Admittedly, I didn't look that hard but I failed to find any independent investigative work done by journalists in Korea about the N7W organization or its claims.

To be honest, I can't fault the Jeju Weekly for not taking up the issue and running it to ground. After all, as I have written about before, they know where their bread is buttered. Rocking the boat does not get one a lot of tangerines. Render unto Caesar and all of that.....

As I actually watched the announcement by Huey, Louie, and Dewey on Youtube, I found a few things that "Huey" said quite interesting. Among these are:

The winning candidates reflect the ones that knew best how to stimulate the most votes.

In other words, the Galapagos Islands were not selected because giant tortoises and iguanas haven't got the hang of the internet yet. Jesus tap dancing Christ, they even admit that quality or an objective set of criteria have nothing to do with it. Only internet connectivity matters.

Think about it. The place where man's view of nature, his origins, and his relationship with God was changed forever wasn't selected because it doesn't have broadband!

Now they say the list was provisional. They have to "check it." In other words, they have to "milk it." Yeah, right. I think the checking gives them time to hit up the "provisional winners" for more bucks. From the announcement:

"Once the voting validation process is completed, in early 2012, we will then work with the confirmed winners to organize the official inauguration events during which each winner will receive the official plaque and will become officially confirmed as one of the new seven wonders of nature."

In other words, "We are going to give you a a cheap ass plaque and you are going to give us a inauguration party and pay for everything." Crap, am I the only one that can see through this? Hell the "Organizers" get wined and dined all over the world for maybe 6 months and they don't have to pay a thing. Damn, I wish I had that job! Jeju and Korea has shown they are more than willing to pay for the plaque ("Platinum Sponsors" and all that). The N7W people have also shown that they are more than willing to take Korea's money.

I am really disturbed by the N7W selection process. At times I found it entertaining, even funny. However, the announcement and the obvious way in which the organizers are milking this whole thing is/are disgusting.

Now the N7W people are announcing a "7 Cities" contest. My gosh, they are geniuses! Yet another money maker! What's next, the New 7 Wonderful Foods? What do you want to bet Seoul gets into the act for the "7 Cities" thing.?

Some people may mistakenly think that, because I have been critical of Jeju's participation in the N7W thing, I am anti-Jeju or anti-Korea. To those that may think this let me ask you a question. If your friend was being sold a fraudulent product by some salesman and you knew about it, would you be silent or would you tell your friend?

I love Jeju. It is my home. Therefore, when I see some charlatan from Europe trying to cheat Jeju I am duty bound, as a loyal friend, to say something.

'Nuff said.

Still Around

2011-11-27T16:18:00.002+09:00

Yeah, I'm still around.

I'm haven't been posting or checking comments for the last few months. I decided to take a break from the blog and other things I'm involved with on the 'net.

I think that we all can get so involved in things/groups on the 'net that we start to lose focus in other areas. So, I decided to take a break for a while and do some other things.

Today, I decided to take a look at the comments I received while I was "away."

A couple of of responses:

To Todd at Jeju Weekly:

Hey, buddy thanks for the invitation to contribute an opinion piece. However, there isn't a lot that I could add that I haven't said already. Plus, and please don't take this the wrong way, while I trust that you would strive to protect my identity, I place no such trust in others you work with - I'll just leave it at that.

With that being said, I still respect what you and the crew at Jeju Weekly are doing. Although, I will continue to take issue with some of the things that impact the focus of the paper. Nothing new, you've read what I have written before on the subject.

"Tell Me About Jeju"

A couple of people wrote in to ask questions about Jeju. Thanks for the comments, but I really don't get into the "Tell me About Jeju" thing as it has been written about ad nauseum on other blogs and websites.

"Others"

Some wrote in to offer their perspective on something I had written. The comments were civil even if they disagreed with what I had written. To those people who took time to comment, I thank you.

"and ..."

One or maybe two people wrote in to do nothing more than insult me. Whatever.

But anyways, I think I'll post a few comments on some things that have transpired since I took my blogging vacation. Stay turned, if you want to, if not that's OK too.

Don't Be Stupid

2011-09-05T20:20:00.002+09:00

It seems, judging by some of the posts on the local Yahoo group, some are getting all bent out of shape about the Jeju Navy Base.

A word of warning. Immigration takes a very dim view of E-2 Visa holders getting involved in political activities. If you get busted and you are on an E-2, I think you can probably kiss your butt goodbye.

I have been reading the posts on the local Yahoo group and some people are writing some really dumb stuff. I'm sorry, but it is. Here are some examples:

Glad to hear the police have finally gotten serious about protecting the workers at the site. Also good to know that it's harder for any fools to cause problems that will only make Koreans in general look pretty silly.

This was followed by the following replies:

The only thing that is "silly" here is to regard Koreans *daring *to
question the motives of their government as "silly." Of course, a good Korean is one that just unquestioningly obeys all the rules and kisses up to authority, eh?

Of course, if he/she were to substitute the words "Native Speaking English Teachers" for "Korean" maybe the writer would see some humor in what they wrote. But, my all time favorite:

Yeah, they're just like little children, believing that they actually have a democracy, that just because 95% of them voted against this base, that it ought to actually mean something.I hope they shoot them all.

95%? Really? Source?.........I thought not. "I hope they shoot them all" WTF? That isn't the least bit funny, even if made in jest or as a vehicle for sarcasm.

Maybe people need to remember what the words "democracy," "republic," and "government" really mean and not fall into the trap of thinking democracy means governing by opinion poll or that democracy means government by who can scream the loudest.

If you want to be stupid on-line (like yours truly from time to time) that's fine. But if you want to go out to the construction site and be stupid, well.....it's on you. I, for one, will not feel the least bit sorry for you.

Nuff said.

I'm Speechless. What An A**hole.

2011-08-29T18:36:00.004+09:00

WHAT AN ASSHOLE!!!!

So this guy is on a bus talking loud. A older Korean guy says something in Korean to him to the effect of "You sit down here." Part of the Korean expression used by the old man includes the pronoun "니가."

Well, homeboy hears "니가" and, in his pea-sized brain, hears the English "N-word." Homeboy then goes off on the old man.

What an ignorant asshole. I'm speechless. There is NO excuse for homeboys conduct. They should throw the book at him, beat his ass mercilessly, and then deport his ass to North Korea.

Homeboy is lucky the old man wasn't my father-in-law.........

Yeah homey, I see your rocks. You see my baseball bat?

A Reality Check on the Jeju Naval Base

2011-08-28T12:30:00.006+09:00

I spent some time today reading sometimes ridiculous rantings of Americans, Europeans and mainland Koreans. The subject was the naval base on Jeju.

I would like to take the time to address all of the so-called "facts" that are, in reality, nothing more than thinly disguised uninformed opinions. However, that would take a rather long time and I just don't have the time today.

Although, the opinion article I read in the Jeju Weekly today is so ludicrous that I may respond to it at a later date.

There are common threads that seem to run through most, if not all, of the rantings I have read today.

One of those threads is that the naval base will make Jeju a target in any future conflict. It seems that some think if there is no naval base then the gods of Mt. Halla will somehow protect Jeju from becoming involved in a regional conflict. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

What two things make Jeju a target right now? Come on, it's easy.

If you said Jeju International Airport and the Port of Jeju, give yourself a cookie.

Both of these facilities are dual-use facilities. That means, in time of conflict they can be used for military purposes. I find it humorous that the same protestors that fly in to Jeju for a weekend protest arrive at facilities that can and are used for military operations.

Dual-use facilities are legitimate targets. Get it?

Let's take an example of dual-use facilities from the mainland. If you have ever driven from Seoul to Daegu, have you ever noticed how certain parts of the highway are really wide and flat? If you look at the dimensions and construction of a modern runway you'll notice striking similarities with the road. This was NOT an accident. Yes, the road itself is a dual-use facility. I wonder when they are going to start protesting the road?

Getting back to the naval base. The naval base would be more obvious, but any military planner worth his salt would consider the navy base, the current airport and the current port as equally high value targets.

The next time you go to the airport, look across the runway from the terminal. What do you see? If you said ROK military aircraft and P3 Orion submarine hunters, give yourself another cookie.

If the navy base is not built will the other two targets come off of targeting lists? No. It is incredibly naive to think so.

If the naval base is not constructed will Jeju be somehow an "Island of Peace" in the maelstrom of a regional conflict? Absolutely not. Again, holding such an opinion, while entertaining, borders on being disingenuous.

Jeju is on a target list, right now, as you are reading this rant.

The other issue I find humorous is the belief that the Jeju Naval base will be an "American" facility. Some claim that U.S. warships will conduct port calls at the facility and this automatically makes the the naval base "American."

So, I guess all of the other "Ports-of-Call" made by U.S. warships around the world also makes those ports "American" facilities.

There are approximately 110 ports around the world that U.S. warships make Ports-of-Call. The last time I looked the ports visited in China, Russia, Eqypt, Kenya, Turkey, Oman, etc., etc. weren't "American" facilities. I guess I didn't realize that the last time I visited Phuket and Pattaya I was actually visiting "American" naval facilities.

Oh no! I just remembered! I have seen U.S. military aircraft at Jeju International Airport in the past. Well, I guess that means JIA is actually an American facility. Damn those American imperialists!

Wait a minute! During the World Cup in 2002, American soldiers were on standby in case of an incident at the World Cup stadium in Seogwipo. I remember during one game seeing U.S. Blackhawk helicopters full of U.S. troops on the practice soccer fields above Shin Shi Gagi. Damn. I guess the soccer fields themselves are actually American military facilities. Those sneaky Americans.

Some say that the close relationship between the ROK and the U.S. in defense matters automatically means that the Americans will have a free hand at launching military operations from the base. Wrong again.

These people do not know the nature of the defense relationship. The ROK has veto power on any U.S. operation launched from its territory. Consequently, to avoid problems, preemptive operations and/or strikes would most likely be launched from ships that did not visit and depart from the port. They would also be launched outside Korean territorial waters. This is how it has been handled in the past in other parts of the world.

I find it mildly humorous that this issue has been debated locally for a couple of years. Yet, up until very recently, there was no "American" linkage to the issue discussed. Interesting.

That is just my short take on some of the arguments made by weekend protestors and others in relation to the naval base.

As for me, I am not for or against the base. I have not done the in-depth research needed on ALL the issues to become truly informed.

For example, I am not well-versed enough to offer an INFORMED opinion about the environmental and economic impacts of the facility. I would have to research authoritative, unbiased sources instead of relying on some "Save the Nazi Gay Whales" website.

That is the primary thing I took away from my readings today. Most, if not all, of those commenting on the issue do not support their arguments in any substantive way.

Most of what I read was from foreigners and "mainlanders" who visited Jeju for a short time and then went home. It seems their short visit, in their minds, made them an expert in all things Jeju. Again, please.

Nuff said. Have a great week.

How Much Will The "New 7 Wonders" Cost Jeju?

2011-08-24T07:46:00.009+09:00

As I had posted about a while ago, I found out today the Indonesian government told the New 7 Wonders people to go to hell.

You know Indonesia and Komodo Island, where the Komodo Dragon lives. A unique animal found no where else in the world and a snapshot into our prehistoric past. Yep, that Komodo will not be included in the N7W. Why? The N7W people told the Indonesians to give up 45 MILLION DOLLARS and the Indonesians said "Go to Hell."

In the August 16, 2011 edition of Asia Travel News it reported that:

JAKARTA, Office of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism withdrew from the nomination of the Komodo National Park as the finalists of the New Seven Wonders of Nature or the New Seven Wonders of The World. Indonesia retreated after being asked to pay 45 million U.S. dollars, or approximately IDR 383.8 billion.

and this....

He claimed to be deceived by the New 7 Wonders Foundation. Withdrawals made after the New 7 Wonders Foundation, has threatened to issue a Komodo National Park from the list of 28 finalists because Indonesia refused to host the declaration of the winner of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

To host the New 7 Wonders Foundation requires Indonesia to pay 10 million U.S. dollars, or about IDR 85.4 billion as a license. Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry also have to prepare money 35 million U.S. dollars, or IDR 298.7 billion for the cost of organizing the event in Indonesia.

Remember in a previous post when I talked about "License Fees?" Well, I guess the N7W people charged the Indonesians $10,000,000 just for some silly license that they themselves made up. I wonder what Jeju has already paid and committed to pay in the future?

A comment in the article made me chuckle. That being:

Komodo National Park is already recognized as a world natural heritage by the Organization for Education, Science, and Culture of the United Nations (UNESCO) in 1991. However, Indonesia Culture and Tourism Ministry still not satisfied so that the pursuit of recognition of the kinds of institutions New 7 Wonders Foundation.

Does that sound like Jeju or what....

For some reason I can't get the link to work so you have to go to the site itself if you want to see the original article.

The Jakarta Post also discusses the cost issue in articles published on both February 5, 2011 and February 11, 2011. The newspapers in Bali have also reported on the issue. Again, I'm having problems with links for some reason.

Please Jeju and Korea, wake up! Can we really afford to pay MILLIONS of dollars (not Won, dollars) for this worthless non-UN designation? With the pressing issues we have on the island, THIS is what is important?

As I have shown in previous posts, any claims to economic benefits are, at best, extremely suspect. At worst these claims are lies.

But, I guess with "Premium Sponsors" backing Jeju the cost won't be that much, or will it? I really wonder how much major Korean corporations paid the snake oil salesmen at the N7W to be "Premium Sponsors." This alone probably secured Jeju's designation.

As I have said MANY times, this N7W thing is a money-making scheme by some smart snake oil salesmen in Europe. That's all it is.

However, I think I'll jump on the bandwagon. I'm going to start the "LOJ Wonderful Place Designation." For only 10,000,000 Won you can get a coveted LOJ WPD. I'll even throw in an official certificate and membership card to show your friends from the mainland - and China. Hurry designations are going fast!

The Jeju Navy Base - A Few Thoughts

2011-08-23T04:23:00.004+09:00

Well, I've been a tad busy lately so I haven't had time to post much. Funny how life gets in the way of writing about...well....life.

Anyway, I guess I have been called to task of sorts by our own Robert Neff. I was reading in the KT about the naval base controversy and saw this little bit:

"Strangely enough, the blog Lost on Jeju has no recent postings of the naval base controversy. It is a shame considering he probably has better insight of the Jeju Islanders’ opinions than the bloggers on the mainland."

Ouch. OK Robert, I guess I'll add my two won to the endless pages of opinions disguised as facts, biased reporting and curious omissions that seem to dominate the arguments down here.

Anyone who has actually been bored enough to read my rantings with any regularity can probably surmise that I am no fan of the Chinese "invasion" of Jeju. With the influx of Chinese tourists, new vacation condo owners and, most importantly to the powers-that-be on Jeju, Chinese money comes the strings of increased Chinese influence in local matters. I doubt you'll find many, if any, local politicians that will admit this, but from conversations I've had recently, the increasing Chinese influence on the island is not lost on the man on the street.

The recent New York Times article that discussed a sign near the construction site that complained it is "Anti-China," I believe is yet another small sign of rising Chinese influence on the island.

However, from what I can gather playing the "Anti-China" card could backfire on the protestors. The Chinese are not loved by the locals. That they are even less loved than Americans is the feeling I get. So, I doubt playing the anti-China card will get much traction.

It seems, much like playing the "Racism!" card in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere, playing the "Anti-American" card is the default position for any group in Korea that feels itself losing ground in a controversy. This too, from what I gather, will be hard to gain much traction with the man on the street. With those hyper-sensitive types that see evil American designs behind every tree and issue it will gain traction because, well, they see evil American designs behind every tree and issue. For those that do not have a Pavlovian response to all things American, I doubt it will garner the support that is hoped for by left leaning folks and the hopelessly biased media.

As to the pros and cons of the naval base I won't rehash it here. Enough ink has already been used on that issue.

I think it is interesting that there is one issue surrounding the naval base that has not been discussed much, if at all. That is the mainland versus island mindset here on the island.

Yes, Jeju is Korean. However, Jeju is also Jeju, with a separate and distinct culture and, according to some linguists, language. Historically, there has always been a dislike/hatred/distrust of "mainlanders."

On a small scale, this was highlighted recently when the central government wanted to take over management of Halla Mountain. After all, in their view, Halla Mountain is a Korean natural treasure.

However, that didn't go over too well down here as Halla Mountain is, to the local mind, the heart of Jeju. From conversations I have had about the issue, Seoul didn't/doesn't understand that Halla Mountain is the heart and soul of Jeju, and no "damn mainlander" is going to take responsibility for "our" mountain. The last I heard, Seoul rightfully backed down on the issue.

So, the naval base issue I see as also being wrapped up in the deeply held beliefs that the people of Jeju will decide about Jeju and Seoul be damned. That is what I have heard many times when discussing the issue.

There is an almost palpable venom that comes out when ever I hear discussions about the navy base being "forced" on Jeju by Seoul. It, I believe, has less to do with security, environment, pissing the Chinese off, or bending over to the Americans, etc. etc. and more to do with the local feelings of it being yet another intrusion by the Central Government in Seoul on Jeju.

There is a feeling that the governor of Jeju "kow-towed" to the Central Government over the issue in order to get more money funneled down here for other things - support for new foreign schools and the like. As you might remember, there was an unsuccessful recall for the governor after he made the decision to go ahead with the construction.

I think it is interesting to hear how it is talked about by some on the island. Much as Americans will complain that Obama has kow-towed to the Saudi's, Chinese, Mexicans and (fill in the blank), the locals will use the same kind of expressions to describe how the Jeju government kow-towed to Seoul, like it was a foreign power. And, in many peoples minds, it is.

I doubt the farmer, fisherman, or whoever down here thinks, or knows, much about the geo-political and/or strategic issues surrounding the base. But they do know about the Central Government meddling on Jeju, yet again.

I believe that the motivation for some to protest is a feeling of being powerless against the perceived juggernaut of development being shoved down their throats from Seoul. The people of Jeju are an independent lot. They rightfully take pride in their unique culture and history and they don't much like it when they are forced to do anything by "mainlanders." That is the feeling I get. This feeling comes not just from this issue but also from discussions with people from different walks of life. I have had, over the years, discussions over coffee and drinks with members of the education administration here on the island. They bristle whenever suits from Seoul come down to inspect "their" schools. Nobody likes to be inspected, but added to this is the fact that the inspectors are "outsiders and don't know anything about Jeju." But, as I told an acquaintance recently, "When you accept Seoul money, you accept Seoul suits."

There is also a historical distrust of Jeju by the Central Government. Any "trouble" on Jeju will be looked at a tad bit more seriously than other places in Korea. I believe this is evidenced by the overwhelming response of Seoul to the relatively small protests. Yes, they are relatively small and localized, regardless of what "mainlander activists" tell the western media.

There is another issue that effects the arguments, I believe. That being that Jeju itself is 4 separate areas bound together by geography. It is much, much less obvious, but there are differences in mindset depending on where one comes from on the island. There are also, to the native Jeju islander, a few differences in dialect. Some of my friends can tell where a person comes from on the island simply by how they say something. It is impossible for me to pick up but they assure me it is the case.

So, for some there seems to be a "The navy base? Oh, that's their problem over there" view. This leads to a lot more "I don't know much about that" kind of thinking. More so than the local media would lead one to believe. It is surprising how many people I have talked to don't know much about, or care about, the navy base. Much to the consternation of activists who come from the mainland (mainlanders, again!) to stir up trouble.

I previously mentioned something about an attempted recall of the governor over the navy base decision. The recall vote failed. Why? Lack of participation by the voting public in the referendum. People from other parts of the island were just not interested. Yes, Korea is a developing country. It is modern. It has many modern conveniences, yada, yada, yada. But there is still the old worldview in play on the island. That being, if it doesn't affect my village, or I can't see it, then it's not important or it doesn't exist.

A while back, before the final, final, final decision on the navy base was made, there was a series of protests. Thinking it was going to grow into something bigger, I started to ask friends about it. Without exception, my friends brought up the fact that the trouble was being caused by "mainlanders" and that they should just go home and leave it to Jeju. Interesting.

Will the navy base be constructed? I believe so. Will it bring benefits to the island. I believe so. Will it bring problems? I believe so. But what in life doesn't bring benefits and problems at the same time?

Just some thoughts.

I Needed To See This....

2011-08-12T19:23:00.003+09:00

With the news becoming full of riots, "flash mobs," corruption, etc., the following bolsters my faith in the basic goodness of many people. Do yourself a favor and watch this:

Have a great holiday weekend.

LOJ

Who Needs Viagra When You Have Dead Babies Laying Around.

2011-08-06T11:44:00.006+09:00

If you're here in Korea long enough you'll hear about this food or that being beneficial for "stamina." Now, we're not talking about the stamina it takes to run a race or stay awake during a meeting for foreign teachers that is conducted entirely in Korean. No. We're talking about "manly" stamina.

Sometimes I'm offered something to eat by Korean friends and family with the phrase "it's good for stamina." The accompanying body language ensures that the stamina being talked about has nothing to do with running or staying awake. It seems to me that everything, including the wind, is considered by some to be good for increasing "manly" stamina. No problem. Whatever floats your boat.

To be fair, Korea isn't the only Asian country seemingly preoccupied with natural ways to increase wood. Japan and China are also interested in the subject.

The Chinese, however, seem to have taken it waaaay beyond what would be considered normal. From the NewDaily I saw where aborted babies are now being used as a manly stamina enhancer. No, I didn't stutter. I said aborted babies.

I went over to Weird Asia News to see if they could provide an English version of the story. Sure enough, here is the English translation.

Saturday night the Korean network SBS is going to have an expose about the Chinese dead baby pills. I'll probably see if I can catch it and see what they have to say about the issue.

If I'm ever offered something from China to enhance my stamina, I think I'll pass. Maybe it's just me, but I'm just not into cannibalism. I guess that makes me "intolerant" or a "deadbabyphobic."

On a related note, I clicked on a link in the first Weird Asia News story and saw something I wish I hadn't. Damn. Dead baby soup. I guess Darwin was right, we aren't that far removed from farkin' animals.

With the influx (invasion) of Chinese to Jeju Island, I wonder how long it will be before some unsuspecting Jeju businessman is duped into selling the super-duper "manly" stamina enhancer by his Chinese friends/business partners. I doubt it will be long before dead babies are being sold on Jeju in Chinese health food stores, if they aren't already.

Well, that's all I want to say about that. Now, if you'll excuse me my wife just told me it's time for my daily viagra pill.

Stay Healthy Girls

2011-07-26T20:16:00.006+09:00

Let me preface my remarks by stating that I hate K-Pop. I hate the manufactured girls groups and boys groups. I hate the mind-numbing songs. I hate the vocals that sound more like two cats fucking than singing. I really hate the "seckshi dances."

Now, with that being said, I was with a student who was watching the latest videos and such from the most popular girls group called "Girls Generation." I was shocked at what I saw.

The girls no longer look anywhere close to healthy. Their relatively sudden weight loss is quite evident. Apparently some idiot in their management company thinks looking like a resident of an African refugee camp is the new thing. All of them look like they are starving.

I predict we will hear of, at the very least, one or more of the members having to "take a rest" from exhaustion.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to read where one of them collapsed on stage.

It looks like the girls are being ground down for some reason. Maybe their management company wants to get as much out of them before it kicks them to the curb.

I certainly hope there is someone looking after the health of these girls.

Some might think that the girls don't look too bad. I'd ask these people to really look at photographs of the girls 6 months ago and compare. Something is wrong in my opinion.

I hate their music, I hate their dancing, I hate everything they represent about the Korean entertainment machine. But, I don't hate the girls. I feel sorry for them in a way. Stay healthy girls.

(Photos from HERE)

New 7 Wonders-Gate

2011-07-22T14:10:00.005+09:00

Uh oh. It looks like Jeju may lose the all-important "colored-light-stick-waving-screaming-middle-school-girl vote" for the New 7 Wonders (N7W) competition (sale).

It seems that a certain "music" group was uninvited to a Jeju N7W concert.

I take back what I wrote in a previous post. This N7W silliness is still funny.

From the JoongAng Ilbo:

Overseas fans of JYJ are so furious the group’s performance at a concert promoting Jeju Island was canceled that they say they’ll stop supporting the island and Korea altogether.

JYJ, a boy band made up of three former TVXQ members, was scheduled to perform on Wednesday in a concert in support of the island’s bid to be named one of the New7Wonders of Nature. But four days before the performance, KBS canceled JYJ’s appearance. Some suspect that SM Entertainment, TVXQ’s agency, pressured the station to ditch JYJ.

and this....

One fan commented on a YouTube video of JYJ, “Isn’t it ridiculous to have them as an honorary ambassador but stop them [from] showing [at] their function? Only make use of their popularity? I now know how Korea treats their people. It is very disappointing!”

Other commenters said they will never visit Jeju, while others claimed they will stop buying Korean products.

Oh My Fricken God! Quick. Someone call the "Jeju Must Become A N7W Committee." This crisis needs to be handled and handled now!!! Some teenage girls in Korea and in Korea Town in LA are pissed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But all is not lost. Maybe the "Platinum Sponsors" can smooth things over (see the previous post on the New 7 Wonders).

Like I said, this whole N7W thing is funny. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Been Busy - Again

2011-07-19T13:21:00.003+09:00

I've been as busy as a one-legged man in an butt-kicking contest. Consequently, I haven't been posting or responding to comments lately.

I do appreciate comments and will post them in a more timely manner in the future, I hope. So, if you've sent in a comment or two and haven't seen them posted, it's not because I'm ignoring you/them. It's just because I've been real busy.

My posting has also been slow for the very same reason. I'm hoping things will slow down soon!

Thanks.

LOJ

Sometimes I Wish I Was Smart Enough To Close My Eyes

2011-07-11T18:41:00.003+09:00

Every now and then I visit various Korean and Western news sites. Every now and then I come across a picture that I wish I didn't see. Today was such an occasion. On a Yahoo Korea site I saw this famous photograph. I wish I hadn't.

Damn.

New 7 Wonders. What's really going on?

2011-07-10T17:14:00.008+09:00

I was reading the Halla Ilbo this afternoon and came across the daily dose of New 7 Wonders (N7W) silliness.

I decided to look around the 'net to see what I could find out about the N7W campaigns in the past. Specifically, I was trying to find the money trail. As "Deep Throat" said during the Watergate Scandal, "Follow the Money." I have always considered it sage advice.

So, I took a look at what the N7W people have to say. A couple of things sent up proverbial red flags. One sent up a damn red flare. Let me explain.

Where does N7W get its money? From their website:

In our first campaign, for the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World, we received funding from two principal sources: telephone voting and the license fee for our historical Official Declaration event in Lisbon on 7 July 2007. In the current campaign for the New7Wonders of Nature, our sources are expected to be the same plus this time we are also receiving license fees from companies who wish to become Official Supporter sponsors of the Finalists. The model of sponsorship is a well recognised system used for events around the world.

The I read the following news report from the N7W people:

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation are Official Finalist Supporter platinum sponsors of Jeju Island in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign.

Announcing the sponsorship, the President of Hyundai Motor Company, Mr. Chung Jin Haeng, said “Hyundai and Kia’s sponsoring of Jeju Island in the New7Wonders of Nature is part of our strategy to support the positive brand image of Korea in the world.”

Welcoming the sponsorship, New7Wonders Director Jean-Paul de la Fuente said: “Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation are both extraordinary examples of Korean success in the world, and we know they will apply the same vigour and motivation to maximise their support of Jeju Island in the New7Wonders of Nature.”

The sponsorship agreement was signed in Seoul, Korea, by Hyundai Motor Company President Mr. Chung Jin Haeng and New7Wonders President Mr. Bernard Weber.

I wonder how much money they paid to become "platinum" sponsors? They also added the following to the report. Remember this is coming from the N7W people.

Editorial note: A recent study by JDI in Korea has confirmed that being successful in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign can generate over US$ 1.8 billion in economic value per annum for each winner. Therefore many leading companies are choosing to become New7Wonders Official Finalist Supporters sponsors not only for the powerful marketing and image benefits, but also for the potential important economic impact on their brands and businesses.

The amount cited, 1.8 billion caught my attention. So I clicked on the link and went to the N7W report that talks about it. I read, and at the bottom of the report I saw this:

Commenting on the Jeju Development Institute analysis, Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of New7Wonders, said “These findings are in line with other recent independent reports, which together are re-affirming that strong participation in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign is a billion US dollar opportunity for the potential winners.

In April 2011, a study reported by the international audit firm Grant Thornton, said that South Africa could benefit by 1.4 billion SA Rand a year, equivalent to US$ 1.012 billion for the first five years, if Table Mountain is chosen as one of the Official New7Wonders of Nature. A study released in 2010 by Pearson (publisher of the Financial Times newspaper) stated that the worldwide economic contribution made by the campaign to elect the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007 was valued at more than US$5 billion.

Remember the phrase "independent reports."

OK. So I decided to take a look at the other 2 "reports" about the financial benefits. I looked the first and saw where Grant Thorton in South Africa is a tax audit and consulting firm. What they don't tell you is that Grant Thorton is also in the tourism consulting business. As such, it will directly benefit, maybe from the SA government, if they get selected. Not exactly an unbiased report in my opinion.

I then followed the link supplied by the N7W people to the "Pearson" report cited. Now the first thing that caught my attention was that Pearson is primarily a textbook publishing firm. So, my initial reaction was to question their expertise and experience in this field. I found out they have none.

What I found out was interesting to say the least. The cited "report" from Pearson is, in fact, a page from a college Marketing textbook called "Marketing An Introduction"!!!???

But then, looking at the sources of the information at the bottom of the textbook page, the source cited for the information is none other than the N7W organization. In short, the N7W is using information on a page in a textbook, which they themselves provided, as support for their position as to the economic benefits. Remember when I said to remember the phrase "independent reports?" Holy Crap!

I think I might be overly kind when I say that in my opinion the N7W people are being disingenuous. I am really thinking of another couple of words that have the initials B.S.

I then decided to really look at whether the voting and subsequent vote tallying is transparent. The answer of course is, no. From the N7W website:

New7Wonders does not ever disclose the individual ranking position during the Finalist phase (2009-2011), nor will it do so when the New7Wonders of Nature are announced on 11 November 2011, nor will it disclose any data that can be analysed to determine the individual position of a Finalist.

In other words, we have to trust that the locations with the most votes were actually selected. We have to trust that support from certain countries "Premium Sponsors" didn't *ahem* encourage creative counting. We have to trust.........

Recently, I have considered all the hoopla about the N7W on Jeju to be entertaining. I am now finding less and less entertainment value.

If Jeju is selected I will always wonder if it was "won" or if it was "bought." Since we will never be able to see the actual vote count, we will never know.

From what I can see the only guaranteed economic benefit is to the organizers of N7W as they sit in their comfortable Swiss chalets.

(Photos taken from the N7W website)

I Wonder What This Button's For????

2011-07-09T21:27:00.003+09:00

It seems a pilot for our local Jeju Air had a brain fart.

According to a story I read in the KT, a pilot for Jeju Air forgot to turn on the cabin pressurization system for the plane after it took off.

From the article:

Jeju Air flight 107, bound for Jeju Island, took off from Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul at 9:00 a.m., Thursday carrying 190 passengers and crew. But the captain of the airplane forgot to switch on a pressurization device, which increases pressure inside the cabin so that those on the plane feel like they are flying at a lower altitude.

Of course, this mistake caused some problems.

Five minutes after takeoff, passengers sitting in the rear end of the plane began complaining about severe pain in their ears. The pilot turned the device on only after being notified by flight attendants of the situation.
However, some 20 passengers continued to suffer the pain in their eardrums throughout the flight, which lasted for nearly an hour.

How did the flight attendants react? Funny you should ask.

One female passenger said she suffered from excruciating pain throughout the flight, insisting that flight attendants did not properly care for her and other passengers. “They just kept giving us water and soft drinks. They are totally ill-equipped to deal with medical emergencies,” she said.

Jeju Air seemed to blow off the incident by saying:

The airline said it was a simple error on the part of the pilot, stressing that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft. “It is unfortunate that some passengers experienced discomfort as the plane’s pressurization device was turned on later than it should have been,” a Jeju Air spokesman said.

Now at first, this was sort of funny. That is until one thinks of what could have happened if the pilot had not been reminded to do his job properly.

I hope it doesn't take a smoking hole on the side of Mt. Halla for the "suits" at Jeju Air to consider a cabin pressurization error as something more than a "simple error."

I also wonder if the flight attendants have any training on the basic technique used to equalize pressure in the ears. SCUBA divers use this technique all the time. It also works for high altitude situations.

Maybe Jeju Air should give some training to their flight attendants on how passengers can relieve the pressure in their ears.

I think I'll give Jeju Air a call and offer my services as a teacher. I'm very talented at cramming a 5 minute class into an hour.

A Story About Not Getting A Driver's License on Jeju - or in Tokyo

2011-07-06T22:01:00.004+09:00

OK. I've heard the stories about how much of a problem it can be sometimes to get a driver's license on Jeju.

I've heard the stories about the written portion of the test being written in something closer to Klingon than English.

A friend recently told me about a co-worker who went for the driving test and failed because he "wasn't aggressive enough." The co-worker got penalized for NOT turning on his turn signal and changing lanes at the same time. He was also written up for NOT pulling into traffic in front of oncoming cars.

The were some other things like failing to make a right turn from the left hand lane - no I'm not kidding. Yeah, according to my friend, his co-worker was penalized for, among other things, not "aggressively nosing into traffic and creating a space." Go figure.

According to the co-worker, after the test the examiner smugly told him that "many foreigners fail" for the same reason. I guess that reason being their reluctance to be farkin' crazy behind the wheel.

I would love to see a breakdown of the failure rate of foreigners who are "examined" by that particular examiner, the failed examinees country of origin and whether or not they have a Korean wife that accompanies them during the test. But that is just me.

Anyways, a friend sent me an article today that I found interesting. It's about Americans getting a drivers license in Tokyo:

From CNN How NOT To Get a Drivers License in Tokyo.

After reading the article I came to the conclusion that Jeju ain't that bad. All you have to do, according to my friend, is drive like an ajumma on crack and you'll do okay.

Happy motoring.

Foreign Advisory Committee on Jeju?

2011-07-05T13:21:00.003+09:00

I was looking at the Jeju Weekly this afternoon and came across an article about a proposed "Foreign Advisory Committee" for Jeju. Basically, it is supposed to be a committee that allows the local government to get input and advice from the foreign community on how to best "Internationalize" Jeju. You can read about it HERE.

Three paragraphs in the story caught my attention for various reasons. The first:

Challenges to Jeju's progress were highlighted by other speakers in the forum, and included cultural considerations, language barriers, the lack of opportunities for foreign involvement in Jeju society, a need for increased cultural awareness, a lack of basic supports, and the informal segregation of foreign and local communities.

I agree with the above. There is a ghetto mentality, if you will, where the foreign community tends to hang out together, go to certain establishments, have the same Korean friends, etc. This, I believe is because of the problems listed in the above paragraph. On an unrelated note, it always bothers me when I hear a Korean say "....my foreigner friend." Not just "my friend," but "my foreigner friend." Likewise, it bothers me when I hear foreign residents say "My Korean friend...." Again, why not just "friend." Anyways, back on topic....

Another paragraph that caught my attention was this:

Membership qualifications, outlined in detail in the proposed ordinance, are designed to ensure expertise and include such criteria as a related doctoral degree, professional license, professorship or public / private sector experience; or, extended residential period in Jeju province; or, specialized knowledge as determined by the governor, committee chairperson, or council member.

The most important membership criteria, in my humble opinion, is the second one, a long term resident of Jeju.

I don't care what degree you received from Bumfuck University, it is not more important than actually experiencing the problems that a foreign resident faces living on Jeju.

However, I think we may be seeing a hint of the Korean tendency to worship academic degrees over ability/experience. If I read the above paragraph correctly, some newbie with an MA or PhD in Public Administration or "Tourism Studies" from Jerkwater University and Auto Repair will be a more valued member of an advisory committee than some American/Canadian/Brit, with a BA, who has been living, working and raising a family on Jeju for many years.

Finally, this....

Residents of Jeju, nationals and foreigners alike, tend to be skeptical regarding committee effectiveness and the government's intention to include foreigners in any substantial way, a legitimate concern.

I guess I fall into this category for several reasons. One, talk is cheap. When any organization wants to give the appearance of doing something, they form a committee. It's not just a Korean thing. Second, many of the problems experienced by foreigners on Jeju originate not from Jeju, but from the illogical, sometimes xenophobic and sometimes discriminatory policies of the national government. The Jeju government has no say in how labor laws are enforced, or how/why the Korean hagwan industry is best described as the "Wild West of EFL." They cannot change the discrimination practiced by the medical or financial sectors. Basically, unless there is something I don't know, their effectiveness is questionable even before they hold their first "Foreigner Appreciation Picnic and Bake Sale."

But as they say, a journey of a million miles starts with the first step. Maybe this is the first step. Best of luck to all involved.

More "New 7 Wonders" Silliness. Dancing With Jeju!

2011-06-29T21:54:00.007+09:00

I was visiting a friend who was surfing Rhymes today. My friend came across a post that made us go WTF? I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Anyway, here is the post:

We invite you for take a shoot 'Dancing with the Jeju' for promote Jeju Island
for New 7 Wonders of Nature!
Jeju is now looking to become one of the New7Wonders of Nat

Who : Volunteers - foreigner
What : 'Dancing with the Jeju' -
We will take you to around Jeju island's most beautiful spot and DO
'Flash mob'
When : End of July
Where : Jeju Island
Requirement : Group of more than 5 people.
- Family and Friends are all welcome
Apply: Downloads form from (www.ijto.or.kr) And Send Email to msm1899@...
First Meeting : 9 July 2011 14:00
Any Question: Call 740 - 6043 / msm1899@...
* Transportation, Food, Water and Souvenir will provided

http://www.ijto.or.kr/news/notice_view.asp?prim=4591

OK. Now I guess I have a problem with a group of 5 being a "Flash Mob." Maybe they are thinking of multiple groups of 5 people. But, why that? I dunno. I suspect, however, that they really mean a 5 person "Flash Mob." That would be fun to watch. I am actually becoming a fan of the New 7 Wonders silliness. It's entertaining.

But I was not entertained when my friend clicked on the link to see the event application. When I read the VERY short application form, I saw spelling errors that would cause my ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students to fail my basic English spelling test.

Maybe I'm a jerk. OK, no maybe about it. But when I see an official government organization of my home Jeju, which is promoting itself as an "International City" and/or "Hub of (fill in the blank)," make basic English spelling mistakes, it pisses me off.

How can an organization with access to the resources of the JTO produce a very short English language document that has the following problems:

"contect" (contact)
"nomber" (number)
"Plese" (Please)

Not to mention the sentence:

"Simply write your participate reason of shooting UCC"

Heck, even a grammatically challenged person such as myself can see a problem with that sentence.

I'm all for promoting Jeju. But when English speakers (L1 or L2) see an official form that looks like it was developed by a 2nd grader, it doesn't put Jeju in the best light. It also calls into question the planning, organization and future execution of the event planned. Not a good sign.

C'mon JTO! There are English native speakers on the island that would be willing to take a few minutes to look at a document before you publish it. How about asking! You are representing Jeju to non-Koreans, many of whom are English speakers!

I'm not going to get into the post on Rhymes. We all screw-up when making posts on a cafe or blog or whatever. Been there - currently doing that. I really appreciate the increased Korean participation on Rhymes. I understand it can be a real challenge to write in a foreign language. I have great respect for those Korean people trying to participate on the Board. I am not talking about that. As I discussed, I am only talking about the (semi?) official document produced by the JTO.

*Sigh*

Summer Camps on Jeju - Some Things to Think About

2011-06-26T15:46:00.004+09:00

I saw an advertisement for a summer camp on Jeju. It lists the usual stuff so I thought I'd use it for some commentary:

Jeju Summer Camp
Location: Jeju Tourism College Jeju Island
Starting Date: July 24 ~ August 20 2011 (orientation: July 23)
# of foreign teacher: 20
Working hour: 07:00-21:30 (Everyday)
Salary: $2900 (Including round trip ticket, accommodation, meals)
Teaching level: grade2~8
Housing: College Dormitory(2 people in 1 room)
Benefits: Employee should purchase their own insurance before departure from home country.
City info: http://english.jeju.go.kr/

OK. Now some of the problems I see with some newcomers is that they don't ask, or know to ask, the appropriate questions when they are thinking of coming to Korea to teach English - especially at a summer camp.

Taking a look at the advertisement above, I see some things that might need clarification.

1) Where is Jeju Tourism College?

Yeah, yeah smartass - on Jeju. But since there are two campuses, which one are you talking about? Looking at the advertisement, I believe it is the one outside of Jeju City. If you don't have your own transportation, what is the cost of buses and/or taxi's to get into town - if, looking at the schedule, you even get a chance to get into town (Jeju City).

2) It is a 28 day camp (including orientation) - so that means you would have to be here on the 23rd - which means you'd probably have to get to Jeju Island by the 22nd. So your days dedicated to the camp just went up 29 - let's say a month, with travel time thrown in.

3) According to the advertisement you will be working 14.5 hours a day while the camp is in session. Now multiply 14.5 times the number of days to get your total number of working hours.

4) You will be paid - at the end of the camp, $2900. Now take the total number of hours worked and factor that into the $2900. What is your hourly rate? But, not so fast. What is the tax rate they will use? Factor in the taxes taken off the top of the $2900 and then recalculate to get your hourly rate.

5) If you have to leave early, will the "Camp" pay for your return plane ticket and give you the wages you earned up to that point? I ask this because I've heard horror stories about a "Camp" that refused to pay the amount of money earned or provide a plane ticket home for an early departure (death in the family). I have also heard stories where a camp was so badly run that the teachers threatened to quit. Of course, the camp operator used the "If you quit, no plane ticket or money" threat. The operators weren't dumb. They knew the teachers wouldn't file a complaint with the labor board. And even if they did, the teachers would be back home before anything could/would be done about it. It was a win-win for the camp operator.

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about the operators of the camp in the advertisement above. Although it says it will be held at Jeju Tourism College, I am 99.9% sure it is NOT Jeju Tourism College that is holding the camp. Rather, it is probably a private organization that rents the college facilities. Which company? I dunno.

6) No health insurance. Get sick or injured and you have no Korean health insurance. Will the local doctors and or hospitals accept the "International" insurance you purchased? While lying on a hospital bed is a helluva time to ask that question.

7) Meals? In a cafeteria eating with, and probably "supervising," your students. Whether or not you like that is up to you.

8) Shared dorm room. Do you know how big the dorm rooms are? I bet they are smaller than you think. What about the bathroom and shower facilities? Does each dorm room have their own or are they shared by everyone on the floor - or building? Will you be in the same dorm as the students? Will you be expected to "supervise" the students in the dorm?

9) Visa sponsorship? Funny that wasn't discussed in the advertisement. If ANYONE tells you it's OK to work a camp, even for less than a month, on a tourist visa, they are lying to you. It is illegal. In the past camps on Jeju have been busted for having foreigners, on tourist visas, teaching. The teachers, who trusted the camp operator to handle the Visa stuff, were fined and deported.

A special note to E-2 visa holders in Korea. To be legal you MUST get permission from the local immigration office to work the camp.

Again, I'm not saying the above is a bad deal or a good deal. I'm just saying that before you obligate yourself, have as much information in hand so you don't get surprised.

(Again, let me say that I don't know anything about the operators of the camp mentioned in the advertisement.)

Take care.

Bad Universities and Colleges on Jeju

2011-06-18T10:01:00.003+09:00

I recently read an article in the JoongAng Daily about bad/mismanaged universities in Korea.

I bring this up because the article states that, according to a Korean government report, there are 2 "bad" college/universities on Jeju.

Now the article doesn't name the "bad" universities on Jeju. I guess that's because of the draconian (stupid) libel and slander laws in Korea.

From the article:

In the ongoing controversy over reducing university tuitions, one angle has been overlooked: colleges so badly run that both the government - through subsidies - and students and parents are wasting their money keeping them going. .....

A reporter recently visited one of the schools, a four-year university in Jeju. The campus was eerily quiet, despite it being final exam time. “It’s a ghost town,” said a 72-year-old Jeju resident.

When the reporter finally caught up with some students, he couldn’t understand what they were saying because they were from China.

“It’s become so difficult to recruit students domestically, so the faculty and staff went to China and toured around its cities, pitching half-priced tuition for Chinese students,” said a university official.

Around 30 percent of the school’s 490 students are from China. The figure is 50 percent if you include students taking short-term Korean-language courses. Most of the Korean students pay 6.1 million won ($5,629) annually, an expensive sum by Korean standards. The Chinese pay half.

“It’s unfair to pay tuition that’s twice [the amount Chinese students pay],” said a 24-year-old senior only identifying himself with surname Kim.

For the school, “internationalization” was its only way to fill seats and make sure it met its minimum head count to get government subsidies. ....

“In the dorms, hot water is available for only two hours even in winter,” said a 24-year-old senior from China, “and we have to wear sweaters because the heating barely works.”

Last year, 15 students majored in tourism. This year, the number is down to two.

Last year I was in a discussion with someone on Jeju who knows about the report from the Korean government. The person told me the names of the colleges/universities on Jeju that are in big trouble. Of course, I can't name them here because of the libel/slander laws mentioned previously. All I will say is that I wasn't surprised by the two institutions that are/were on the list.

I post this as a warning to those thinking of working at a college/university on Jeju. As with everything, research, research, research. Just because a "college" or "university" is hiring you, it doesn't mean that the institution can/will pay you on time or at all. There is also NO guarantee that the college or university will treat you any better than a hagwan.

Talent, Hard-Luck Stories and Korea's Got Talent.

2011-06-12T15:24:00.004+09:00

I have gotten hooked on watching "Korea's Got Talent." It is, of course, the Korean version of "America's Got Talent," "Britain's Got Talent," or "(fill in the country name)'s Got Talent."

I enjoy watching the shows. However, I have noticed in the past that the winner's from these competitions seem to have some of the same things in common. Those being 1) talent, of course, and 2) a rags to riches or hard-luck story. I think that our intrinsic love for the underdog has a lot to do with the success of some of the participants from the various competitions. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just an observation.

Getting back to "Korea's Got Talent," I was watching the show the other day and saw a performance by a young man that was phenomenal. He's got serious talent and a serious hard-luck story. Rather than go into it, I will just show you the Youtube clip with English subtitles.

I'm really pulling for this young man to take it all.

On a related note I was watching to see where they are holding the auditions. They listed Seoul, Daegu, Gwangju and Busan. I didn't see Jeju listed.

If not - Why not Jeju!!??? I have seen some great talent here on the island. They should come on down and see what the local folks around here can do. I think they, and we, would be surprised by the talent on the island.

Update on My Latest Hospital/Health Care Rant From The Jeju Weekly

2011-06-09T19:46:00.004+09:00

I received a message from Todd over at the Jeju Weekly about my latest post about the hospital/insurance situation.

Todd let me know:

LoJ,
The late June issue of The Jeju Weekly will have a JNU Law School answer about what we are entitled to regarding national health care

So, keep an eye out for the late June issue of the Jeju Weekly.

Most teachers here on the island are young and strong. So, maybe health care is not at the forefront of their minds. However, all it takes is an instant to change a young, healthy person's life forever.

Another Rant About Medical Costs For Foreigners in Korea

2011-06-08T22:44:00.005+09:00

I have written about the unfair two-tier pricing system in Korean hospitals. Bottom line is that foreign patients are charged much more than Korean patients for the exact same procedures. Why? Well, the hospitals can (legally) get away with it. On top of it all, if a doctor or hospital screws you over, you can't do a damn thing about it. A couple of posts I wrote previously about this situation can be read HERE and HERE.

Well, in the KT I read another article about the current unfair situation. From the article:

Foreign patients to get medical compensation

By Kim Tae-jong

From next year, foreign patients will be able to get compensation if they fall victim to medical malpractice here, the government said Wednesday.

Currently, there is no proper compensation system for foreign patients from malpractice as hospitals and clinics are reluctant to pay higher subscription rates for insurance.

The government will set up a mutual aid association. The association will have hospitals as members and each member hospital will pay a certain amount of money from the fees it charges foreign patients. The association will use the pool of money to compensate these patients.

“We will operate the mutual aid association on a temporary basis until the compensation system takes firmer root,” said Im In-taek, an official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, during a news briefing. “We’re discussing the matter with related government bodies.”

So, I guess since they can, and do, charge foreign patients more - they will just increase the fees to cover the Associations form of malpractice insurance. Yeah, this will work. Jeez. Hey, I've got a great idea. How about allowing foreign patients to sue hospitals just like Koreans? Why a separate, temporary, sort of, kind of, maybe OK, system? Oh, in order to give the impression of giving a flying fark and justifying yet higher fees for foreign patients. Yeah, that'll work.

Oh, and just remember, if the hospital IS NOT a member of the so-called "Association," you will have NO chance of getting compensated for the possibly permanent damage done to you by incompetent doctors or nurses. Makes one feel all warm and fuzzy doesn't it?

Also remember that if, in the highly unlikely event, you were to get compensated, the HOSPITAL Association would determine the amount of compensation. Nice.

Rant Over. Stay Healthy.

Politician In Hot Water For Desecrating the Korean Flag. What about Kim Dong Sung?

2011-06-08T22:16:00.004+09:00

I was reading in the KT today about some politician in hot water for desecrating the Korean flag. I usually don't think too much of Korean politics. It's too confusing for a simpleton like me. But the article gave me a laugh because of the, how shall I say, selective application of the law.

First, from the KT article today:

The prosecution has launched an investigation into an allegation that former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook defamed the Korean national flag, Taegeukgi....

Under the current law, those who damage or defame the national flag can be subject to a maximum of five years in jail or a 7 million won ($6,473) fine.

OK. So Korea has a law against desecrating the Korean flag. All well and good. But what about Kim Dong Sung? You can start watching the video at about 5:30. Pay particular attention to the scene starting at 7:35

Yep. I guess the KT failed to mention the temper tantrum exception to the law.

Jeju's Obsession With the "New 7 Wonders." It's Entertaining!

2011-06-03T00:42:00.004+09:00

I have a new hobby!

It's reading the local and national papers to see how many stories I can find on the "New 7 Wonders" campaign/obsession.

It's everywhere - freakin everywhere. This has gone far beyond silly and into uncharted territory.

This evening I was looking at the headlines in the Jeju Weekly and, not to my surprise, I found the daily dose of New 7 Wonders (N7W) silliness.

It's news (for lack of a better term) so they reported it. That's their job. No argument there.

But the article, about Paul Potts being named an honorary Jeju N7W ambassador, had a quote that is yet more evidence of the level of silliness this whole thing has reached.

In the article I read:

"Potts' performances in Europe during his world tour are expected to raise Jeju’s international profile, helping to overcome one of the main problems facing Jeju’s bid — weak name recognition overseas — thus contributing to a higher ranking for Jeju in the N7W campaign."

I'm sure the above comes from a statement made by someone employed at tax payer expense to promote Jeju's N7W obsession.

Ummm, did the person who came up with that idea realize that 1) there are not 1, not 2, not 3 not 4 but 5 finalists from Europe on the N7W list and 2) the VAST majority of his tour dates in Europe occur after the selection will be made. But what the heck. It's entertaining.

The next installment of the "N7W Funnies" will occur this Friday when Paul will actually vote for Jeju at the Governor's office (prior to?) receiving his honorary ambassador designation. After which, Officers Kim and Bak from the Immigration Office will return Paul's passport and allow him to leave the country. OK. I added that last part.

But what is not funny is what I read on Paul's official Asia website/blog. He discusses the "honor" bestowed on him by the Grand Pooba of Jeju. In the little blurb it describes the N7W thingy as originating from a nonprofit organization. Uhhhh, nonprofit? I wonder where he got that idea from - hopefully not from our friends here on Jeju.

Speaking of our friendly officers from Immigration, I heard from a little bird that there has been a recent change in policy regarding Chinese fisherman caught illegally fishing in Korean waters. From now until the selection is made, offenders will be given the choice of arrest/fine or voting for Jeju on the N7W website. Yeah, I added that also.

I will actually be sad when it's all said and done, regardless of the outcome. While frustrating, watching officials get so twisted about something that is basically meaningless, is quite entertaining.

Jisan Valley Rock Festival

2011-06-01T12:57:00.004+09:00

If you are a music lover and have some time this summer, you might be interested in the annual Jisan Valley Rock Festival. It will be held at the Jisan Forest Resort in Icheon - not Incheon - Icheon in Gyonggi Province.

The 3-day festival will be held from July 29 through August 1st. The line-up includes groups from both Korea and abroad.

According to the website it appears to be a mini-Woodstock type festival.

This year's line-up includes 3 Korean bands that I like to listen to from time to time. They include "CRASH," "Yellow Monsters," and PIA. I especially like "CRASH."

Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend this year - dammit. That silly work thingy keeps getting in the way.

If interested, you can check out the information website at:

http://valleyrockfestival.mnet.com.

Click on the "English" icon at the top right hand corner of the page to get to the English information section.

Alternative Schools on Jeju - WTF??????

2011-05-31T15:23:00.004+09:00

One of the few things that I am really passionate about is education. Specifically, education for the disadvantaged in society.

That is why I have been following the developments regarding the establishment of an alternative school on Jeju.

As far as I understand it, an alternative school is being established at the AeSuhWon Sisters' Heights Center for Single Mothers on Jeju. According to what I have read, it is the first to be established on Jeju. I was a bit surprised by that fact.

The Jeju Weekly has had a couple of nice stories about the Center and their efforts to establish an alternative school for single mothers. In my opinion, the Center provides a much needed service to a segment of Korean society we rarely hear about.

In a recent story about the Center becoming a recognized alternative school, I read something that got my blood boiling. Yeah, I know, big surprise, right?

As I read the recent story I came across this part:

"Heated discussion over details ensued, with the education inspector focused strongly on budgetary issues. His primary concern appeared to be the prohibition against permitting students who have already legally dropped out of school to “drop back in” by registering for an alternative school."

If I understand this correctly, and I admit I may be misreading the above, the "suit" that works in the office of EDUCATION is concerned that those who, for whatever reason, legally "drop out" are not given the opportunity to reverse course and get an EDUCATION.

I really hope I am misunderstanding the intent of the EDUCATION "suit" who was "concerned."

So, does this mean once a middle or high school student legally drops out of school, they cannot later legally re-enroll to complete their education within the standard education system?

If this is the case, is there any way to test an entire EDUCATION system for schizophrenia?

To dovetail off the story at hand, let's say a young lady makes a mistake, like we ALL do when we are young, and ends up pregnant. According the the Jeju Weekly story, and other stories I have read, she is then either "strongly encouraged" or otherwise involuntarily (and illegally) ejected from school. When she legally drops out or, for all intents and purposes, is "dropped out" she is then unable to get back into school once she delivers her child or reconsiders her decision. Is that right????

If that is correct, I have another question. Just what is the job of the office of EDUCATION? I always thought it was to EDUCATE all those who desire, and need, an education.

I admire Korea's passion for education. However, in a society that is so passionate about education, does this prohibition against re-enrolling those who previously "dropped out" make sense??? I'm still trying to get my head around this schizophrenic mindset.

Anyone with at least two brain cells knows that without an education a person, especially in Korea, will most likely occupy the bottom rungs of society. Is this the real choice that the EDUCATION system is giving young single mothers in Korea?

The young mother is given the choice to either kill the baby (abortion) before anyone at school finds out or choose life and become a mother. If the young girl makes the "wrong" decision will the EDUCATION system/law then, for all practical purposes, sentence not 1 but 2 (mother and child) to the bottom of Korean society? My gosh, I really hope I'm wrong.

I am not talking about the social stigmatizing of young girls who get pregnant. There is not a lot one can do to change societal attitudes in the short term, just look at the history of Western societies. I am talking about institutionalized discrimination, supported by education law, against those who made a mistake when they are young.

I have one more question. What about the sperm donors? Are they strongly encouraged to leave school? Are they stigmatized? I think we all know the answer to that one.

I was once told something by a friend of mine on Jeju. When discussing societal ills, my friend said, to paraphrase: "Societal attitudes never change until the majority of women get pissed off."

Maybe it's time for women in Korea to get really pissed off.

I Admit It. I'm Kinda Hooked on 나는 가수다 (I Am A Singer)

2011-05-29T20:35:00.003+09:00

A while back I was reading on Roboseyo's blog about a new singing show called "I Am a Singer" (나는 가수다). He explains the show a lot better than I could, so I invite you to visit his fine blog and read up on what he has to say about it HERE and HERE.

Well, after reading his first post on the program, I decided to watch a few episodes and decide for myself.

At first I wasn't that impressed. I was of the same mind as Mr. Roboseyo. But then I saw a singer who blew my socks off. His name is 임재범 (They spell it Yim Jae Bum in English).

I have embedded a few of his performances from the show, starting with my favorite.

Unfortunately, he came down with an acute case of appendicitis (sp?) and had to have surgery. Consequently, he had to withdraw from the show. My interest in watching the show in the future has decreased since I won't see him perform.

I guess one of the reasons I like him is what I have learned from the show and Mrs. LOJ about him. He takes care of a cancer-stricken wife. He is not rich - he doesn't even own a car. His daughter has to ride the bus every day to kindergarten. A special day for her is when he takes her to kindergarten in a taxi. There are other things that I have learned about him that only serve to increase my respect for him, not only as a singer, but as a man. I will miss him on the show. Now, I just have to find out if and when he will come to Jeju to perform. I want to be seated in the front row.

As an aside, if you like Yim Jae Bum, you might like one of my other favorite Korean singers, Poet/Rocker Kang San Ae:

He is another singer with not only a bucket full of talent but also a very interesting personal history.

Enjoy.

For the Love of God, Please Tell Me...

2011-05-28T21:07:00.002+09:00

the following is not the "masculine ideal" according to the Korean entertainment establishment.

I'll Give You An (Imaginary) Award If.....

2011-05-23T17:32:00.003+09:00

you can figure out what is wrong with the following headline from the JoongAng Ilbo:

Song Ji-sun found dead in apparent suicide attempt

No, I'm not making fun of yet another person in Korea committing suicide. However, I am making fun of the title of the story that describes the tragic event.

If you see a problem with the use of the word "attempt," give yourself a cookie.

The Chosun Ilbo , Mr. Oh and Xenophobic Fear Mongering

2011-05-22T07:09:00.004+09:00

In the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, columnist "Mr. Oh" penned a column with the eye-catching title "Korea Must Beware of Growing Crime By Foreigners."

Oh starts out sort of describing the evolution of gangs in the U.S. How this relates to Korea, only Mr. Oh knows for sure. Despite a somewhat lengthy discussion of Italian, Chinese and Vietnamese gangs in the U.S., Mr. Oh conveniently fails to discuss the Korean gangs that operate in the U.S. I guess he has "programmed ignorance" regarding the "Korean Pride," "Korean Killers" or "Korean Power" gangs that infest certain cities in the U.S.

As an aside, while looking up Korean gangs in the U.S. I found an interesting article written by a Korean at Stanford University. The writer concludes his article by stating:

The Korean community has often been proven guilty of reverting to attitudes of programmed ignorance and instantaneous denial in the face of issues and events which have the power to reflect negatively on Koreans. An extreme form of the community's own extreme and unjustified sense of "Korean Pride," this knee-jerk tendency to react with unrationalized and vociferous denial in the face of issues which could lead to some sense of "communal shame" has unwittingly caused heavy damage to the community as a whole. The desire for Koreans to want to focus only on the academic and social achievements of their children while turning a blind eye to a thriving criminal counterculture has served as a major factor in the growth of Korean gang activity in the recent years. Without acknowledgment, the Korean gang problem can only get worse, and the Korean community will continue to be victim to its own suspension of reality.

Getting back to the Chosun Ilbo piece written by Mr. Oh, he goes on to discuss the emergence of ethnic gangs in pure, white-as-the-driven-snow Korea. He writes:

Police estimate there are some 2,000 Chinese gangsters in Korea who are part of 16 groups linked with either of the two gangs. They are involved in gambling, prostitution, illegal smuggling, telephone fraud and drug trafficking.

More recently, Vietnamese gangs, including a gang from Hanoi, have been increasing their clout. They open gambling parlors near factories and engage in loan sharking, prostitution and violence. Gangs from the Philippines, Thailand and Bangladesh are also active.

He adds:

"There are 1.26 million foreigners in Korea including illegal residents. Last year more than 9,000 foreigners were arrested on charges of murder, theft and other serious crimes."

It is interesting that Oh shy's away from breaking those numbers down to percentages, as is the common habit in Korean newspapers. So, just what is the percentage, Mr. Oh? Secondly, how does that percentage compare with Korea as a whole? Ahhhhh, I see why Mr. Oh doesn't want to show percentages. You can't have your xenophobic fear-mongering derailed by facts, can you Mr. Oh?

He ends his rant by stating:

The country needs to think twice about welcoming foreigners without proper screening. There has to be a system of background checks and records of visitors. Without it, Korea could be headed toward a dangerous future.

Background checks for "visitors?" Fine. How about background checks on every Korean that is a visitor to the U.S., Canada, the U.K. etc., etc. Fair is fair, right Mr. Oh?

The greatest danger to Korea's future is not foreign visitors, Mr. Oh. It is the xenophobic mindset that you yourself exhibit and the "mainstream media" that gives you a voice. That is what Korea "needs to think twice about."

Those D*mn Money Grubbin' Foreign Schools on Jeju

2011-05-20T09:46:00.002+09:00

OK. Not exactly. But I assume that's what some parents/officials are thinking about the new North London Collegiate School (NLCS) that is opening up on Jeju in the near future.

This morning on the news I saw where there is a wee bit of confusion about the costs to students/Jeju. It seems the Korean side thought that they had agreed to pay for everything in U.S. Dollars. Ohhhhh, Noooo. Wrong again, Mr. Kim!

NLCS is a British/European school so why would they want their money in dollars? They want their money in Pounds and/or Euro's. Of course, with the exchange rate, the amount owed by parents/Jeju is a wee bit more, Heh, heh, heh.

Now, of course, the slant of the story was that the NLCS "changed the deal" after the Koreans had already agreed to pay in U.S. Dollars. The jist of the story is that the money-grubbin' NLCS just wants to be paid in Pounds/Euro's so they can extort more money from the Koreans. Those evil foreigners!!!!!!

However, in my opinion, the problem stems from a common mindset here in Korea. I think the Koreans assumed the payment would be in U.S. dollars because, well, aren't all white people Americans?

I foresee more problems like this in the future with the "foreign" schools on Jeju. Though some might disagree, I think foreign schools should take some lessons from the "Lone Star KEB" debacle that has yet to be resolved. I really feel the foreign schools are going to experience a myriad of "misunderstandings" and problems that they have not really considered.

The Most Dangerous People on Jeju

2011-05-19T12:34:00.002+09:00

Who are they? Who are the most dangerous people on Jeju?

Are they drunk English teachers trying to tell a taxi driver where to go?

Nope.

Are they ajumma's fighting for a sale item in E-Mart?

Nope. However, watching an ajumma shopping frenzy will send a chill up your spine.

Are they Korean doctors who give you pills to take without asking first if you are taking any prescription medication?

Nope.

Are they hagwon directors who tell you "Don't worry, I have a friend at immigration."

Nope.

According to the morning news on MBC the most dangerous people on Jeju are tourists driving rental cars.

As someone who drives regularly on Jeju, I think the MBC report is absolutely, 100% correct.

I recommend that whenever you see a car with a "허" on the license plate (rental car), try to get away from them as quickly as possible. Assume they are going to do something incredibly stupid. Never assume the other driver (1) sees you, (2) knows where you are, (3) knows where they are, (4) knows how to drive or (5) thinks that you could even remotely have the right-of-way.

The weather is getting warmer. Stay safe this summer.

(A friendly piece of advice: If you are involved in a car accident, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, NEVER admit responsibility or say you are sorry (which will be taken as an admission of responsibility).)

Congratulations Jeju Weekly

2011-05-17T12:22:00.003+09:00

I was reading the Jeju Weekly over lunch and saw a small story about it being the paper's two-year anniversary.

I just wanted to add my congratulations to the staff and contributors.

While at times I have taken issue with some things and lamented the stated focus of the paper, I have never questioned the desire, drive and talent of all of those involved. They are a top-notch group of people that deserve your/our support and thanks.

Thanks again everyone at the Jeju Weekly and congratulations. Here's hoping you stay around for a long time to come.

LOJ

(Note: I know I haven't posted much lately. Things have gotten really crazy both professionally and personally recently.)

Korean English Teaching Job Advertisements - WTF?

2011-04-29T09:16:00.003+09:00

I was looking at the job advertisements on Dave's ESL this morning and came across not one but two advertisements that made me think "WTF are these people thinking?"

The first comes to us from a top tier high school in Korea. A couple of things jumped out at me when reading the advertisement. The first:

"KMLA is a coed, independent secondary school for gifted students of Korean heritage with grades 10 through 12."

I guess bi-racial kids. and kids from international families that have chosen to live in Korea for an extended period, need not apply. How "multicultural" of them. But it gets a little better. I read:

"KMLA maintains an English-Only-Policy, which encourages all students to speak English on campus."

Well, that sounds good. But wait! Later I read:

"We are seeking a Psychology teacher who can speak Korean fluently, "

Uhhhhh, never mind.......

From the university scene we see a job ad for Hankuk University of Foreign Studies that reads:

* Successful candidates will need to submit Certificate of employment in English, Photo Copy of diplomas (such as BA, MA, Ph.D), Research / publications list in English, Copy of passport (including your family, in case come with a family), Certificate of marriage if possible, Certificate of children's birth if possible, family member's photos in Korea.

Uhhh, yeah. I am going to give a farkin' Korean university a copy of my marriage certificate and my child's birth certificate and copies of family photo's. Seriously, are those people on drugs?????

Sadly, there will be lemmings who will apply and submit all the "required" documents in hope of being crapped on by university staff and professors.

Such is the way of the world in the Land of the Morning Calm. Have a good one.

Been Busy

2011-04-20T12:30:00.003+09:00

Just a note to let some readers know that I have been super busy lately. Consequently, I haven't had time to post comments or even come up with another rant for y'all to laugh and scoff at.

I'm still around. So, if you have comments, send them in and I promise I'll get to them.

To "Jo." Got your comment. I didn't post it because it had your name and contact info in the message. Thanks. I'll keep your offer in mind!

Reality Check Needed

2011-04-14T12:29:00.002+09:00

I saw on Dave's ESL where the "International" school on Jeju is looking for people to be dorm assistants. All well and good. But, as I looked at the details, I found myself going "Wuh?"

Specifically, I looked at the schedule options:

Work hours:

Option 1: (4 positions)
Monday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: 3:00pm ~ 11:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am ~ 11:00pm
Sunday: 8:00am ~ 11:00pm

Option 2: (4 positions)
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Wednesday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Thursday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Friday: 3:00pm ~ 11:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am ~ 11:00pm
Sunday: Off

Option 3: (4 positions)
Monday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Tuesday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Wednesday:4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Thursday: 4:30pm ~ 11:00pm
Friday: Off
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 8:00am ~ 11:00pm

So you are expected to be working (be on shift) for 44.5 hours a week for a whopping salary of (drum roll, please...)

2,000.000won per month

Are you kidding me? 2 million a month (before taxes, pension deductions, etc.)?

But hey, you get to live in a dorm with elementary and middle school students while maintaining a "high level of energy and motivation for working with students" (Imagine the fun!).

They also let you eat while you are supervising the kids eating (relaxing!).

They pay 100% of your medical insurance fees (Whoa, you save an extra, on average, 40,000 Won per month!)

They also talk about long weekends. However, if you look at it, you don't get a full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) off with any schedule option. They also don't discuss any kind of longer vacation (10 days, etc.)

The requirements, "benefits," and job responsibilities are described in the ad. You can check it out HERE.

Why do I see a high turnover rate coming with the advertised job? Maybe I'm just crazy.

Yet More New 7 Wonders Silliness

2011-04-05T22:49:00.009+09:00

A friend who works on Jeju forwarded an email she received from a person at the Jeju Province Office of Education today:

I am writing to you to ask a big favor. Jeju Island need more foreigner's support to be one of "The New 7 Wonders of the World".

Here is the address to vote (Log in www.N7W.com and choose the most fascinating place for you).

I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation in this campaign.

This whole thing has just gotten ridiculous. All of this for a designation from a private concern that means absolutely nothing.

I have written a number of posts regarding my feelings about the efforts being made (and money wasted) in pursuit of some non-official/non-UN designation. You can read my previous rants HERE, HERE and HERE.

I wouldn't at all be surprised to see offers of "an extra day off" if Jeju is "selected" or maybe even references to future renewal of contracts.

So, I guess in the future we can see the checklist for new NSET's on Jeju:

1) Passport from an English speaking country
2) BA/BA degree with apostille
3) Health Check
4) National Criminal Records check with apostille
5) Sign-in and Password to the New 7 Wonders website (to check whether the applicant voted for Jeju)

Think I'm joking about #5? From a previous post (linked above) I reported:

This morning the news had a story about the "New 7 Wonders" campaign.

It seems some civil servants got pissed off about the whole thing.

Apparently, they were "strongly encouraged" (ordered) by their bosses to vote online for Jeju. Then, to make sure their workers complied, the supervisors demanded that the employees give the supervisors the sign-in and passwords the employees used. The supervisors wanted to check that the employees voted and confirm they voted for Jeju!!!!!!!

It wouldn't surprise me one bit to learn that some person at the Office of Education had been "strongly encouraged" by their superiors to get maximum participation from the foreigners on the island.

Actually, as I sit here and think about it, this whole thing is becoming quite humorous.

Ironman Coming To Jeju In July

2011-03-20T10:47:00.003+09:00

For those interested in competing, here is a link for more information.

Ironman returns to South Korea with 2 events

Good luck.

Question: Would you ...

2011-03-10T19:56:00.004+09:00

1) Cheat on your spouse
2) Commit espionage for a foreign country
3) Engage in immigration fraud

for.....

THIS!!??

Maybe she has "talents" that we can't see.

After all is said and done, maybe she can get a job with China Airlines suck starting 747's .....

(Link, link)

New 7 Wonders Insanity

2011-03-09T19:55:00.005+09:00

As I have posted before, I am NOT a fan of, nor will I participate/vote in, the newest over-hyped initiative on Jeju. That being, of course, the "New 7 Wonders" campaign.

My reasons are outlined HERE and HERE.

What I heard on the news this morning reinforced my original thoughts. This morning the news had a story about the "New 7 Wonders" campaign.

It seems some civil servants got pissed off about the whole thing.

Apparently, they were "strongly encouraged" (ordered) by their bosses to vote online for Jeju. Then, to make sure their workers complied, the supervisors demanded that the employees give the supervisors the sign-in and passwords the employees used. The supervisors wanted to check that the employees voted and confirm they voted for Jeju!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!

Now, that was a bit much for the employees union so they told the supervisors to "stick it where the sun don't shine." According to the news report the union and government knuckleheads are discussing the issue. Yeah. Right.

Can you imagine the fallout for an employee if they either didn't vote, or happened to vote for places other than Jeju. Can you say "unemployed?"

This thing has gotten out of hand. Besides getting bitch-slapped, the supervisors and others need to do a reality check. How much money is being spent on this "campaign?" How many man-hours are being wasted for a PRIVATE designation that doesn't really mean squat? Isn't there anything else the money could be spent on, like say orphanages or facilities for the handicapped, elderly and otherwise disadvantaged. I'm sure they would like some of the money or government man-hours invested. Sheesh. Is the nebulous "brand power" more important than the children and disadvantaged on Jeju getting a little extra support? Is putting another sentence on tourist brochures more important? Really?

Again, The New 7 Wonders is a private contest. It is not officially a part of the U.N. It contracted to be recognized as a "partner" not "part of" the United Nations. The results mean absolutely nothing! I did some checking on Wiki and found this from a UNESCO Press release dated June 20, 2007:

There is no comparison between Mr. Weber’s mediatised campaign and the scientific and educational work resulting from the inscription of sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The list of the 7 New Wonders of the World will be the result of a private undertaking, reflecting only the opinions of those with access to the Internet and not the entire world. This initiative cannot, in any significant and sustainable manner, contribute to the preservation of sites elected by this public.^[6]

(emphasis mine)

"Mr. Weber" is the head of the campaign. Now, to be fair, Jeju isn't the only place/country to be suckered in by the organizers of the New 7 Wonders. Other countries have acted stupidly in the past also.

I did a Google search under the search terms and came across some less than flattering things about the money-making, non-scientific, non-transparent manner in which the "campaigns" are conducted.

I have seen signs, internet type broadcasts at the airport, heard announcements on the radio, seen advertisements on TV, etc., etc. etc.

It's bordering on insanity.

Farkin' Childish..... Blackout Korea, English Teachers Out and ....Yahoo Korea?

2011-03-08T09:39:00.012+09:00

A couple of weeks ago, the blogosphere in Korea was all a titter about a couple of stupid blogs. The first is "Blackout Korea." Its claim to fame was that it posted reader photos of Korean men passed out drunk in restaurants, in the street and elsewhere. Another stupid blog, started by a Korean in response to the first stupid blog, was called "English Teachers Out."

The reason this whole thing started was that the Chosun Ilbo and some other local papers published some stories about the "Blackout Korea" site. I am assuming because of the "insult" to Korean pride or whatever.

Anyways, the blogosphere, including the Marmot's Hole," "Scribblings of the Metropolitician" and "Roboseyo"started a few posts about one or both blogs.

The whole thing started to die down as things like this usually do. Blackout Korea is now an "Invited Readers Only" type blog and "English Teachers Out" has apparently gone bye-bye.

OK. No big deal. Wait a minute........

This morning I got on the 'net and saw something on Yahoo Korea (yes, YAHOO KOREA!) start page that caught my eye.

Clicking on the link I see the following pictures.

Now, as I said before, I think Blackout Korea and English Teachers Out are/were stupid and/or childish blogs. But what I saw coutesy of Yahoo Korea went beyond Blackout Korea in one BIG respect. The gender of the persons in the photos. Compared to Yahoo Korea's link, Blackout Korea was/is EXTREMELY modest. Upskirt shots!? Pictures of women in suggestive poses!? Butt shots of women who urinated on themselves!?

Both Blackout Korea and English Teachers Out had to be searched for. They were not "News" available to the public simply by getting on the internet.

Ya know, I kind of understood and supported the Korean side of the "Blackout Korea" issue. But after seeing the above - on the Korean Yahoo site - my mind has changed. Hypocrisy thy name is .......

WTF is wrong with all of you people?

*Sigh*

The Curious Tale of Korean Speed Skating Hero, Kim Dong Sung

2011-03-05T22:26:00.004+09:00

For those unfamiliar with the name Kim Dong-Sung, just ask your Korean friends or students.

In brief, Kim was the South Korean speed skater who was disqualified during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The disqualification during a short track speed skating event gave the win to Apolo Ono. The hue and cry and frothing at the mouth in Korea was entertaining to say the least.

Well, the long and short of it was Kim.... uhhhh...... forgot his hatred of the U.S. when offered a coaching job in........the U.S. To get a better idea of what I'm talking about read the Washington Post article describing him and his move to the U.S. HERE.

In the article, when discussing coaching in the U.S., there was apparently a harbinger of things to come:

"I had trained some children in Korea [in summer camps] but the style is different in Korea," he said. "There, they have the utmost respect for me. My one word rules. Here . . . "

Well, a few days ago we read, in the same Washington Post:

U.S. Speedskating suspended the coaching credentials and membership of an Olympic champion speedskating coach based in Northern Virginia and notified Maryland Child Protective Services of corporal punishment allegations against the coach, the organization announced late Wednesday night.

Kim Dong-Sung, a two-time Olympic medal winner for South Korea, will be banned from attending the sport's March 11-13 national championships in Weston, Wis., or any other sanctioned events, according to U.S. Speedskating President Brad Goskowicz. He could face additional punitive action ranging from long-term suspension to expulsion pending the outcome of a hearing, Goskowicz said.
U.S. Speedskating began investigating Kim last Thursday, days after The Washington Post reported that six skaters said Kim abused them or they saw Kim inflict corporal punishment on other skaters. A seventh later came forward.

What kind of corporal punishment? Well, according to the article:

The skaters, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, told The Post that Kim had used hockey sticks, skate-blade guards, hammers and hand timers to hit them on the buttocks, stomach and hands, or he kicked them. They said the abuse usually occurred in the locker room or during dry-land training, out of the view of their parents.

Apparently, these weren't the first allegations against Kim. Later in the same article it states:

Kim, who moved to the United States soon after retiring from professional skating in 2002, coached for the now-defunct Wheaton Speedskating Club in 2007-08 and the Potomac Speedskating Club in 2008-10. He left both clubs as allegations of abuse emerged, according to several parents and officials from the clubs.

I wonder why I haven't seen a big write-up about this in the local English language Korean press? If it has not been reported, I wonder why? Hmmmm.

Health Care Mistakes in Korea

2011-03-05T10:54:00.003+09:00

Korea often advertises itself as some kind of cheap health care panacea. In some ways, it is true. The basic health care needs of individuals can be met in Korea at a cost that is well below the average costs in the U.S. - and without the waiting and need for "approval" in the government run Canadian system.

But there is a dark side that the "Come to Korea and get your nose, eyes, boobs, belly, etc. fixed" advertisements don't tell you. One of the dark sides concerns the issue of medical mistakes and malpractice.

I was reading a post on a blog written by a Catholic priest in Korea. The priest discusses an article written by a professor emeritus at Seoul University. Some choice quotes from the post:

Hospitals are considered safe havens but those who work in hospitals know that for the old and children with little immunity, they are a dangerous place, and the medical teams are the first to be upset with the situation.
.....
In recent years, we have the introduction of new equipment, and up grading but this has not decreased the number of medical mistakes but increased it. The hospitals in Korea do not publish or make known, or is there any system to find out statistically the number of these mistakes in order to prevent it from happening again.

One professor in a medical school here in Korea taking his information from a research paper from the States and considering the numbers of patients entering hospitals, estimates that we would have about 36,000 deaths in Korea because of medical mistakes. The writer compares it to the 7,000 deaths from car accidents each year.
....
From the last years of the 1990s, the developed countries have made studies of the problem and taken steps to change. Here in Korea this has not been done. Mistakes are made in giving medicine, there is the problem with hospital infections, mistaken diagnosis, mistakes in surgery, and no effort to determine the causes and prevent them from happening again.
....
"Like the US we as individuals or as a medical team, without names and maintaining secrecy should report our medical mistakes. Not to question our responsibility, but so it doesn't happen again; to examine what went wrong and to notify all the other hospitals, so they also will know what to do."

The post concludes with the following:

The professor finishes the article asking that the government take an interest in legislating, so the patient's safety will be taken into account.

I guess the safety of patients is not the first priority. Something to think about.

I know in my own time in Korea, well into the second decade, I have received some quality health care. However, my family has also been on the receiving end of some things that made me/us go WTF? The last incident occurred only two weeks ago. I won't go into them/it because to do so would make me really pissed off. It's too nice a day to spend it pissed off at something that won't change.

When will many Korean doctors learn to say "I don't know" and refer a patient to someone who knows what the hell is going on?

When will the Korean medical association, including nurses, get off their high horse and allow 119 teams in the field to start IV's and administer medications. Why does the so-called "Golden Hour" appear to be totally disregarded on the altar of saving face?

When will the ridiculous Korean libel and slander laws be changed to allow people to openly discuss their complaints and experiences without the threat of being sued by hospitals and doctors?

I could go on for pages about my thoughts about weaknesses in the medical system here and the priority of "status" and "face" over patient safety and health, but why. It won't change until Korean people get really pissed off and stop shrugging their shoulders and saying "Oh well, what can you do."

Like English education in Korea, "It's all about the Won, baby."

Drop in Foreign Tourists to Jeju

2011-03-02T17:53:00.002+09:00

In the Chosun Ilbo today I read where the number of domestic tourists to Jeju has increased but the number foreign tourists to Jeju has decreased.

In the article it talks about Chinese tourists in particular. According to the article:

258,400 Chinese tourists visited the island in 2009
406,100 Chinese tourists visited the island in 2010
23,000 Chinese tourists so far this year.

By my count that is 687,500 Chinese tourists have visited the island since January of 2009.

OK.

There seems to be a lot of effort to attract tourists to the island. But what efforts are being made to make them want to come back?

Are the decreasing numbers really a reflection of the "been there, done that" effect?

Cutting Foreign Teachers

2011-03-02T11:36:00.004+09:00

I've been reading about budget cuts in Gyonggi Province resulting in cuts to the number of foreign teachers .

Today in the Korea Times there was an article outlining the cuts. From what I've read in other blogs such as Roboseyo and Brian in Jeollanamdo, this will probably hit more experienced teachers hardest as we can command higher salaries. As I have said many times, its all about the Won, baby.

Experience and qualifications will never outweigh the Won. Korea's media is always harping about unqualified and inexperienced teachers, but, as "Roboseyo" mentions, they aren't willing to put their money where their mouth is, ever.

You can read about the ins and outs of the issue at their two fine blogs.

But what caught my attention was the last paragraph of the recent KT article:

In a 2009 survey conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, more than 90 percent of 5,500 parents, students and teachers said that they thought the program was helpful, while 93 percent of Korean teachers were very satisfied with the foreign teachers’ qualifications and class performance.

As I blogged about some time ago, when a similar survey was done on Jeju, the results were even higher as far as approval goes. I guess the parents and teachers aren't reading the "experts" at the Korea Times and Busan Times and Korea Herald, etc. etc.

For those that mistakenly think that since this is Jeju we shouldn't be concerned with what happens in Gyonggi-do, I think it should be remembered that as far as the education system goes, Gyonggi leads and Jeju follows.

If you are an experienced teacher at or quickly approaching the top of the pay scale, I recommend you start planning for life after EPIK or public school. I also recommend that you take with a grain of salt what your co-teacher/principal, etc. tells you about you not having to worry. It's not that they will lie to you, most of the time, but rather they don't know for sure that you are going to be cut until you do.

Always remember that you are expendable. You are not that handsome, pretty or a "wonderful teacher." Two months after you are gone most won't even remember your name.

It's all about the Won, baby.

More Dokto/Takeshima Silliness

2011-02-22T09:01:00.002+09:00

In the Chosun Ilbo I read an article about such and such U.S. map in 1949 listing the seagull-shit-covered-rocks (SSCR), otherwise known as Dokto, as Korean territory.

They say this map goes a long way to "prove" Koreans claim that Dokto is theirs, nyah, nyah, nyah.

Fine. No problem. I guess that means since the same map lists the body of water between Korean and Japan as the "Japan Sea" (Sea of Japan), Korea can stop insisting that the Sea of Japan be called, in English, the East Sea, right?

After all, if the map is oh so wonderful because it supports Korea's claim to the SSCR, then everything on the map must be valid, right?

Have you ever noticed how there is always a flurry of Dokto articles and "controversy" in the media whenever the government gets into a little bit of trouble? Must be nice to be able to whip up a misdirected Pavlovian response in the people whenever things start to get farked up in other areas like say a savings bank crisis, or the governments ridiculous response to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, or the NIS farking up a big trade deal with Indonesia, or, or, or......

The real unemployment rate? Uhhh. Hey, look over there, the Japanese are claiming Dokto!!!!! Go get 'em!!!!!

Phew, that was close....

Isn't it about time the Korea government send a thank you note to the Japanese government?

A Hero Captain, A Dedicated Doctor and A Prostitute.

2011-02-19T22:07:00.008+09:00

Guess who the prostitute is.....

A few days ago I wrote a post ("Apples and Oranges") about how poorly the Koreans stuck at the Cairo airport were treated. In that case, it was painfully obvious that the main concern was money and not the safety of Korean citizens. I thought it was shameful.

I read something today that made me go WTF? This time it was about the captain of the Korean ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates. During the retaking of the ship, the captain was shot by a pirate - and a Korean special forces rescuer - and was then evacuated (on a U.S. helicopter) to a hospital in Oman.

So, after the captain arrived in the hospital in Oman, the Korean Doctor Lee flies there to supervise his treatment. All well and good, right? This is where it gets shameful. Lee, knowing that the Omani hospital didn't have the proper facilities to treat the captain called a Korean politician who was friends with a nurse on the doctor's staff. To quote the newspaper story:

Lee wanted to rent an “air ambulance” to return the captain to Korea, a service provided by International SOS, which is a global company for health care, medical assistance and security services. The fee for the service was expected to cost about $40,000.

In desperation, Dr. Lee tells the government politician:

“I will pay the rental fee out of my own pocket because we need this,” Lee was cited by several people as saying.

So, after much hand wringing and and teeth sucking by the Foreign Affairs Ministry:

Korean government officials negotiated with the Omani government over details of the flight plan. As for the rental fee, the foreign ministry decided to trust Lee by his word that he would pay for the flight.

Did you catch that? The "Hero of Korea" was flown back to Korea for proper medical treatment only because HIS DOCTOR WOULD PAY FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!

If the doctor had not promised to pay for the flight, the Korean government would probably have been happy to let the "Korean Hero" rot and die in Oman. Shameful. Simply Shameful

Here we have the second of two incidents in one month that show where the priorities are, and they aren't with the health and safety of the people.

But I did get a chuckle when I read in the same article:

The day after Seok arrived back in Korea, President Lee personally called the doctor that afternoon, encouraging the doctor to help Seok “leap from his bed.”

Yeah. Right. Spare me. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to learn that President Lee called the doctor collect.

Korea #1 Again!!!

2011-02-17T17:18:00.002+09:00

Congrats citizens of the land of hangovers and stained computer chairs. Korea has been rated #1 in a category for the second time this month. That has got to be some kind of record.

First, the pride swelled as it was announced that:

"South Koreans are found to be the world’s top buyer of pornographic materials, "

But that wasn't enough. Oh no. The search for greatness must go on! Then, today we read that another lofty goal has been met. That is:

"Spirits were overwhelmingly South Koreans' favorite beverage. They drank 9.6 liters' worth per person in 2005, more than in any other country. "

Damn. I'm pissed! According to the rantings of the Korean media and certain government types, foreign English teachers had the corner on drinking and being preoccupied with sex! WTF! I want a recount!!!

Sending Original Documents To Korea

2011-02-17T08:56:00.003+09:00

From time to time I will read a story of woe about some youngster who stupidly sent their original degree or other original documents to some recruiter or hiring firm in Korea. If you decide not to take the contract, good luck getting your original documents returned to you.

While looking at the teacher want ads on Dave's ESL this morning - yes I was that bored - I found the following at the bottom of one particular "Teacher wanted" advertisement:

IMPORTANT PUBLIC NOTICE
- At this point, emailed documents suffice. We understand that it is common for most HR Firms in Korea to require applicants to submit originals. However, we implore applicants to exercise extreme caution since originals are extremely sensitive papers, which are only necessary in processing a teaching visa called E2. Employers at both the public and private sector never require original documents during the application process.

Now for the working conditions and compensation package listed in the rest of the ad - well to be honest - meh. But I have to give the school kudos for adding the above.

Obama, the New International School and the Jeju Weekly

2011-02-14T09:16:00.005+09:00

Huh?

I was in Seoul this weekend visiting some Korean friends. During our time together we shared some coffee and caught up on the latest news.

Among the many topics we discussed two subjects stuck with me.

First, I was asked if I thought Obama was a Christian?

Now, I really don't give a flying rats butt. I am a staunch independent who thinks all politicians (Democrat & Republican) are just different fleas on the same dog. But, I guess since it has been in the news, and my Korean friends watch CNN to study English, it's a natural question.

The only thing I could think of to say, in answer to the question of whether Obama was a Christian, was "If someone has to ask if you're a Christian, you're not one."

Another topic of conversation had to do with the new international school that is being built on Jeju. The lady who I was speaking with lives in Daechi-dong and had tried to get her child enrolled in the school.

What she told me was quite instructive. According to her, approximately 300 students have already been selected for admission to the school. She added "and none of them are from Jeju."

I wrote about this before so, in the interest of brevity, I'll just leave her comment to stand on its own.

When I arrived back on the Hawaii of Korea I noticed copies of the Jeju Weekly in the magazine stand next to the doors where you exit baggage claim. I went over to grab a copy to see what Todd and the guys over there had put together.

Needless to say I was a little bit shocked to see that the Jeju Weekly was in Chinese.

No, I'm not going to bitch about that.

I mention it because, even though written Chinese looks to me like a chicken on crack stepped on an ink pad and walked all over the paper, the layout and accompanying photos were top notch. I must give credit where credit is obviously due. It was a sharp looking little paper.

Well done Todd and the rest of the crew at the Jeju Weekly.

The Pot Calling The Kettle Black

2011-02-11T09:09:00.002+09:00

I was reading three Korea Times this morning and saw the above editorial cartoon. Boy, talk about the Korean pot calling other the countries kettle black.

As the "Good Book" says, to paraphrase, before pointing out the stick in your brothers eye, take out the log in yours, first.

Apples and Oranges (and McDonald's)

2011-02-10T13:28:00.002+09:00

I know, I know. From the title you are wondering what the hell this wacko is talking about......

This afternoon, over lunch, I was reading about complaints concerning the Korean Embassy in Cairo's handling of the evacuation of Korean citizens. You can read about it HERE.

A couple of things caught my eye.

First, the case of apples and oranges. From the article:

“Park insisted that China, Japan and other countries offered free charter flights for their citizens. But it is not true. All passengers had to sign an agreement that they would pay the charges later. Additionally, we made it possible for Korean citizens at the airport to pay for tickets via their family members and friends in Korea if they did not have enough cash,” a foreign ministry official said.

Did you catch that? While the priority of China and Japan was to get their citizens out first, and pay for the flight later, the Korean response was quite different but somehow typical. If you were a Korean citizen you had to pay first or they would leave your sorry butt at the airport. How kind and considerate. It sure let's you know where the priorities are, doesn't it?

Yet, the Korean officials insulted the intelligence of the Korean citizens by trying to equate these two very different procedures. As I said, apples and oranges and somewhat typical.

The second thing that caught my eye was :

Another ministry official said there are only six staff members at the Korean Embassy in Egypt, compared to Japan’s 30 and China’s 60.

So, you're telling me there are more staff members on a typical shift at McDonald's in Shin Jeju then there are for the whole farking Korean embassy in Cairo? WTF?

My heart goes out for the Koreans stuck at the airport. It sucks to feel you have been abandoned by the very people whose job it is to look after you in an emergency. The Koreans in Egypt deserved better support from their embassy officials.

Evaluating Native Speaker English Teachers (NSET's)

2011-02-10T08:53:00.004+09:00

Each semester every NSET, that works for the Education Administration, is evaluated by their co-teacher. This evaluation is then sent to.....well....someone, somewhere. It is just a fact of life for NSET's. Do these evaluations count for anything? I don't really know. However, based on anecdotal evidence, I have my doubts.

But that is neither here nor there.

I was thinking last night about changes in the system that might make a difference. As I already discussed, I believe changes need to be made.

First, non-performing NSET's need to be moved out of the system. Instead of just shuffling them off to the next school, because of the priority on numbers, they should be given their walking papers. As I stated in a previous post, the system should emphasize quality over quantity.

Second, there should be a system that rewards talented and experienced NSET's. Currently the only incentive for an experienced NSET to stay is the promise of a small pay raise. Stay long enough and you can hopefully make the same money as a greeter at Walmart. There are many other benefits that could be given to selected NSET's to keep them on the island.

Third, allow NSET's the evaluate their Korean co-teachers. The current system is one-sided and, at times, adversarial. There are Korean English teachers on the island right now that have no business working with a NSET because of their anti-foreigner/xenophobic attitude, lack of desire and/or lack of professionalism. There is no way for a NSET to let the Education Administration know that a Korean co-teacher is worthless - or wonderful. The evaluations should be part of the overall evaluation for English teachers conducted every year.

If a Korean English teacher consistently receives poor evaluations from different NSET's maybe there is a problem with the Korean teacher - and not the NSET's. This teacher, at the very least, should be prevented from working with NSET's and such should be reflected in their official file - and affect their next contract or career progression.

I know that the above won't happen because it would quickly turn into a Korean "Pride" versus NSET issue that would defeat the whole intent. But I can dream, can't I?

Next, how about video taping Korean English teacher open classes every semester and post them on the EPIK site, like the NSET classes are currently. We could probably learn a lot from watching a Korean teacher - our co-teachers - teach in English for 50 minutes. I know, when pigs fly.

There is an assumption that a Korean English teacher, because of some certificate, knows how to teach English. Fine. Show NSET's how to do it then. If Korean English teachers are so good, and NSET's so bad, how about showing NSET's how it's done! Yeah, I know........

Oh well, I doubt any of the above will happen. However, it is nice to dream......

The New 7 Wonders Campaign - The Plot Thickens

2011-02-09T08:43:00.006+09:00

I received the following this morning from an "anonymous" reader. I thought I'd share it.

RI: New7Wonder should be decided by votes

| Mon, 02/07/2011 10:41 AM | National
A | A | A |

JAKARTA: The New7Wonder committee’s decision to drop Komodo Island from the competition is illegal because it should be decided by the voting results, a lawyer representing Indonesia over the issue said on Sunday.

The New7Wonders Foundation announced on its website www.new7wonders.com that since Indonesia did not fulfill “certain legal commitments and official pledges”, they may be forced to suspend Komodo as a finalist from the official New7Wonders of Nature.

Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said that the suspension was the result of refusing to host an event that would cost US$45 million.

Todung Mulya Lubis, who was appointed by the government to settle the case, said that Komodo deserved to remain on the list because it had gained so many votes.

“There is no contractual obligation to the New7Wonder committee. They can’t drop Komodo Island from the list because it is the vote that counts,” he said.

He believed that Indonesia had a strong position for the case, adding that legal procedures were still in discussion. — JP

Sooo, the designation is, for lack of a better term, up for sale. Yeah, go ahead and tell me this is purely about nature and "natural wonders." It's about money. Tourism money, development money, advertising money, convention money, money, money, money.

I wonder how much Jeju and the Korean government has promised to spend, or has already spent, to "win" the vote for designation? I wonder where that money will come from? I wonder if there are any other things on Jeju that could better use the money spent/promised for the "designation?"

Hmmmm. Genuine Jeju black pigs or Komodo dragons? I wonder which is more of a natural wonder? Gosh, I'm sooo confused (insert sarcasm here).

This thing is starting to stink like day old fish.......

"It'll Affect Your Next Contract"

2011-02-08T12:19:00.004+09:00

...and other lies my mom told me.

That is what I thought after spending some time the last few weeks with some friends who are "in the system." The system being the EPIK system and/or other teaching systems controlled by the Education Administration.

I have often been told about e-mails received by teachers "in the system" that have a sentence that states, to paraphrase, "If you fail to attend or cooperate it could affect your contract re-signing." Yeah, it's voluntary, but if you don't attend it could affect your next contract. Nice. Yeah, that'll make people want to volunteer.

Most teachers I have talked to don't enjoy being threatened because they may not want to "volunteer" to participate in some activity that has little to do with actual teaching and usually occurs during a weekend. According to one person I spoke with, the person at the head office who writes/wrote some of the e-mails got the message and sent out a sort of apology about threatening teachers. OK. Whatever.

But, after hearing story after story over the years, I have come to the conclusion that it is all hot air. It is an empty threat at best.

I have lost count of how many times I've heard teachers say "How the hell did they re-sign him or her? This usually follows a lengthy list describing the screw-ups and/or unprofessional actions on the part of the teacher who was re-signed. I am personally aware of several teachers that had no business in a classroom, and the people responsible for hiring knew it, but the NSET's were re-signed year after year. Why?

I think it comes down to the priorities. The priority is, first and foremost, a warm native speaking body with a pulse. It's a numbers game. The number of teaching days, the number of students in a classroom, the number of NSET's available, that's what drives the train. This is made more acute by the multiple, ridiculous and xenophobic hoops that prospective NSET's have to jump through even to get a visa.

The professionalism, caring, and diligence of the NSET is welcomed, but definitely not required or sometimes even recognized. I don't give a hoot and heck what some official tells you. The actions or inaction of the powers-that-be speaks volumes about what is important, and NSET professionalism isn't it.

I could describe numerous specific cases that I have been made aware of, but to do so would identify the persons involved. I don't want to do that. Plus, even though I would really like to, I could describe a situation, told to me, where the requirements for new teachers to a "special" program were significantly lowered or thrown out altogether because they couldn't find enough teachers who met the requirements (most of them left the island). Instead of holding to the requirements, and filling slots as qualified teachers became available, they did what they always do. "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil," and filled the slots with teachers with no experience or training. But the number of students who will be in a classroom with a foreigner will meet the requirement established by some government bureaucrat that hasn't seen the ball since the kickoff. Yay! Numbers met, quality not. Situation Normal - All Farked Up.

What is the solution?

First, in my opinion, stop thinking of NSET's as a tool like a hammer. One size does not fit all! Quantity is not preferable to quality. Every time I hear some education guru state something to the effect of "We are going to have X number of NSET's in schools on the island by 20___." I cringe. It sounds exactly like they are saying "We are going to have big screen TV's in every classroom on the island by 20___." And, I believe, they think of it the same way also.

Second, will someone please start seriously thinking about retention of good teachers with years of experience. I have seen several very good teachers leave the island in disgust because they were treated in the exact same manner as some newbie off the boat. Other than a few pay raises, that the new tax rates will make even smaller, where are the incentives for experienced teachers to stay? Answer: Nowhere to be found. Why? They don't seem to care about that. Any warm body will do.

If they can re-sign a warm body, all the better. Less work and problems with visa processing. He/She has no business in a classroom, but they already have their visa! Re-sign them! For God's sake, get their signature on a contract!!! Think I'm kidding? I'm not. Again, actions speak louder than words.

Until such time as the Education Administration gets serious about getting rid of non-performing NSET's, the majority of experienced NSET's that want to do a good job will continue to be lumped together with them and treated like cattle to be continually threatened with the proverbial cattle prod if they don't "volunteer." But, truth be told, the "cattle prod" doesn't have any electricity in it........ But it doesn't matter. In time, all the cattle will get fed up and leave the field anyway. The situation will continue to be nothing more than a poor joke.

As usual, the losers in all of this are the kids - and the conscientious NSET's that want to teach them. It's a damn shame.

*sigh* Rant over.

The New Drug Test for NSET's

2011-02-07T21:22:00.003+09:00

I was reading in the Korea Times about the new drug test they are going to give to Native Speaker English Teacher's (NSET's) in Korea.

As I don't use illegal drugs it doesn't bother me much. But then, as I finished reading, something hit me. I realized this whole thing is about the collision of preconceived notions against the rocky shores of reality.

The Korean media, and certain racist/xenophobic "civic organizations," have been feeding the government a steady diet of "Most NSET's are drug abusing losers." Consequently, in a typical knee-jerk fashion the Korean government instituted drug testing.

The expectation was that there would be a large number of dirty drug-abusing foreigners that would be stopped from soiling the youth (and females) of the nation. This, of course, would be announced in headlines splashed across the nation.

You could just picture the drooling while the "civic groups" and their powers-that-be lackeys were waiting for reports of numerous teachers being caught by the test.

But guess what? The "large" number turned out to be quite small, statistically speaking. Oops, there goes the preconceived notions and the headlines. Curses! What to do? What to do?

Aha, blame the test. The test isn't good enough! They just know a large number of foreigners are drug users. So, because of the small numbers they know the test is faulty.

Change the test. Change the test! It's the new battle cry. That'll get those numbers up! We know the secret cabal of drug using NSET's think they outsmarted us, but we'll get you! You just wait and see, heh, heh, heh.

It would be comical if it weren't so sad.

A Pet Peeve

2011-02-07T11:21:00.002+09:00

One thing that always seems to bother me, but no one else I guess, is the lack of even an attempt at authenticity in stage and screen productions. If you see enough "B" action movies from the U.S. and Canada, you can easily see what I mean.

I am especially "peeved" when I see ridiculous uniforms and equipment in a stage production or movie.

This morning I was reading an advertisement for a stage production in Seoul named "천국의 눈물."

For those with military experience, can you count the number of mistakes/problems with the uniform of the actor playing the part of an American Army officer? I know about the beard, but that's too obvious.

As with many things in the Korean media and entertainment industry, when dealing with things foreign, there seems to be a total lack of concern about getting things even close to right.

I think this seems to dovetail into another pet peeve of mine. That has to do with students, usually adult, who lived for a few years in Canada or the U.S. Some of these students won't hesitate to "correct" a native speaker teacher from those countries about how things are in those countries. It seems that some think living for a few years in Vancouver gives them some kind of expertise to discuss how things are all over Canada. Or, my favorite, living in New York for 3 years and then proceeding to tell me how things are in Dallas or Atlanta. Uh, yeah. Right. Whatever. Go back to sleep.

I guess its like the very few expats I've met who live in Seoul for a few years and then will tell you what its like to live on Jeju based on a weekend trip. Yeah. OK. Have another shot....

And don't get me started on the Korean blue passport holders I've met recently who, because of where they were born (Can you say "Anchor baby?"), will sometimes say "Hey, I'm an American, too." Yeah. Sure you are..... Holding legal U.S. or Canadian citizenship, does not automatically make one an "American" or "Canadian" as the Korean media constantly reminds us - when its convenient for them. I am reminded of the female golfer, Michelle Wie. Her father made a comment a while ago about her citizenship. When asked by a Korean news reporter about her "Koreaness," he replied "The only thing American about Michelle is her passport." (....and the crowds cheered....)

Why the heck did I write about this? I dunno. Just bored this morning, I guess.

Only Half of the Story

2011-02-06T13:25:00.003+09:00

Out of the hundreds of reasons I am critical of the Korean media, and its lack of basic journalistic ethics and professionalism, is the fact they often only tell half of a story. The inconvenient half, or the half that may go against the grain of popular thinking, is very often left out of a story.

An small illustration of this was in the Korea Times this weekend:

Marriages with foreigners soar in Korea

One out of every 10 South Korean men and women gets married with a foreigner, with Chinese and Vietnamese brides being the most popular, according to data released Sunday.

Statistics Korea said 33,300 South Koreans tied the knot with foreigners in 2009 alone, accounting for 10.8 percent of all marriages here. It marks a big increase from 4,710, or 1.2 percent, in 1990 but a decline from 42,356, or 13.5 percent, in 2005.

In particular, 11,364 South Korean men wedded Chinese women and 7,249 others married Vietnamese women in 2009, the agency said.

The number of Filipino brides stood at 1,643, followed by Japan with 1,140, Cambodia with 851, Thailand with 496, the United States with 416, Mongolia with 386, Uzbekistan with 365 and Nepal with 316, it noted. (Yonhap)

Kind of a fluff piece to take up space, I know. But, looking at the headline, my immediate question is "Where are the statistics of Korean women who marry non-Korean men?"

Time to stop before I go on another rant.......

You're Speaking Jeju Dialect. They Don't Understand.

2011-02-04T18:49:00.005+09:00

Something happened today that got me thinking about something I read a day or two ago on Roboseyo's blog. He recently had a discussion concerning Jeju dialect. I didn't get to put my two won in because I wasn't aware of the discussion until recently.

Today my wife and I went to a local gas station to fill up. When approached by the college-aged girl who was the attendant, I asked her to fill it up. She just looked at me. So I said it again. Blink, blink. I said it a third time. To which the girl finally asked me in Korean if I wanted her to fill it up. I replied yes and she went about her business.

I turned to my wife and I asked "Did I say something wrong?" She replied "Nope." I asked again, "How was my pronunciation?" The wife replied, "Fine." I then made the comment "I guess she didn't expect a white guy to speak Korean to her."

I started my usual semi-nonsensical rant about the locals not expecting a lowly foreigner to be able to speak the secret language of the Koreans. My wife, now rolling her eyes, said "Nope, that wasn't the problem." Being the smart-ass I am I asked "Well, oh wise one, why didn't she understand. Is she "Challenged?" My wife, now tiring of me, replied "Because, stupid, you were speaking Jeju dialect."

Fewer and fewer young people on the island even understand the basics of the local language. Yes, I said language. I think, based on scholarly papers I have read, that it is more than a dialect. It is a language that is dying because Jeju is in the final stages of being absorbed by Seoul. It's a damn shame.

It is a tragedy that, in time, some small voices in the linguistic wilderness may start to regret and, all too late, sound the alarm.

Think about it. A white guy, on Jeju, couldn't communicate with a local because he was speaking the local dialect/language. It's a damn shame.

Dammit. Instead of trying to make the island (and culture) of the island the "Singapore of Korea" or the "Hong Kong of Korea" or the "Hawaii of Korea," or a "Free International City" (Whatever the hell that means) how about making Jeju the "Jeju of Korea." Now there's a novel idea.

Jeju is in the process of dying from the inside, in my opinion, because some think it is more important to chase the almighty Yen, Yuan or Dollar than really work to protect Jeju's unique language and culture. As I said before, it is a damn shame.

I read recently that they are considering issuing a Jeju Resident ID card. If you get it you would be eligible for some benefits that non-Jeju residents wouldn't. To qualify you would have to have been born on the island. I think there should be another requirement. You should be able to pass a language proficiency test. The test, of course, would be a Jeju language test. I know, I know, when pigs fly.

Did I mention that it's a damn shame?

I'd better stop. I'm getting all worked up.......

Scrounging For Compliments & I Want To Be a Pirate!!

2011-02-04T09:47:00.005+09:00

Not to be outdone by the JoongAng Ilbo, as discussed in a previous post, the Korea Times gives us an important headline about what the Somali pirates think of Korea. I wish I was kidding about the article below, but I ain't....

Pirates say Korean food is good

In the early morning hours of Jan. 31, five Somali pirates were transferred to Busan, where they were interrogated for seven hours by Busan's Coast Guard. On their first night in jail, they finished their meal and apparently slept soundly, officials said.

After investigations, the pirates arrived at the Busan office of the Korea Coast Guard at 6:30 p.m. After receiving medical checks, they were briefed on the cell rules and officially locked up at 7 p.m. They were assigned to three cells, two containing two each and one solely occupied.

Dinner was served at 7:25 p.m. The menu included rice, kimchi, doenjang or bean paste soup, fried eggs, and japchae, or traditional Korean sweet potato vermicelli with vegetables. The local coast guard said that the pirates ate all their food, leaving not a trace of any of the side dishes, even. Afterwards, they washed, were briefed again on the cell regulations and retired shortly after 9 p.m.

The pirates slept all night without waking or any disturbances, said a coast guard official.

In the morning of the 31st, the pirates washed and had a breakfast of rice, dried fish (pollack) soup, fried eggs, kimchi, and tofu.

When asked in English how they found Korean food, one of the pirates replied, "Good, good," the official said.

"The pirates were neither afraid nor nervous and spent their first night in the cells with great composure. Although they have committed serious crimes, we are remembering that, as ‘foreigner pirates,’ they are unique suspects and we are doing our utmost to maintain cell safety and security.”

The pirates were transferred to the South Regional Headquarters of the Korea Coast Guard where they underwent a second day of interrogation.

Silly.......

Hey, now wait just a damn minute. You mean if I attempt to catch a ride on a Korean flagged ship and get into a little trouble, I too can be like the pirates who "...slept all night without waking or any disturbances,..."

Hijack a ship and the drunk businessmen (and women) that shout, sing and fight outside my window ... every....farkin'....night... just might be convinced to shut the hell up? Really! Damn, I think I need to go and find an unsuspecting fishing boat. Yeah, that's the ticket....Good nights sleep, here I come!

Uhhhh, does anyone know where I can get a Somali phrasebook?

The Korean Media's Desperate Search For Compliments

2011-02-02T11:12:00.005+09:00

You spend enough time reading the Korean news media and you start to see an interesting phenomenon. It is what I call the "Desperate Search for Compliments."

Anytime a "weigukin" says anything positive about Korea or Koreans, it will, almost inevitably, end up in print, on the internet or even on KBS/MBC/SBS/YTN ( especially if the "weigukin" has an actual title).

I often read articles about this or that weigukin saying kimchi is good or something built by Samsung is really neato or saying some Korean singer, actor, etc. has a smidgin of talent.

I usually view these articles as "cute" and evidence of a certain level of insecurity that, hopefully, will abate in the future. For the most part the articles are just "fluff" and I read them as such.

But this morning, I thought "You've got to be kidding."

I read an article in the JoongAng Ilbo about the Somali Pirates and saw the following quote:

Another pirate said while behind bars, “Korean food is better than I thought. The bed isn’t so bad either. I think Korea is a good country.”

Translation: Somali pirates like us, they really, really like us!!!!

Hey, KNTO I'm sure you can work that into a tourism brochure or commercial, can't you? "Korea, the preferred destination country for captured Somali Pirates!"

I just knew that being a self-declared hub of (_______) would reap benefits!

Next month we'll read about the pirates show up in court wearing hanboks and extolling the virtues of Korean traditional clothing!

Speaking of going to court, I was wondering what the defense would claim:

(1) We were drunk.

(2) We thought the ship was Japanese. After all, you all look alike to us.

(3) We wanted to punish the Japanese ship for claiming Dokto. You know Dokdo, don't you?

(4) We thought we saw Lee Hyoli on deck. She is "sheckshee."

(5) We heard that Korea is now hiring English teachers from other countries so we thought we'd hitch a ride to Incheon. We watch the Korean English teachers on Arirang TV and realized being able to actually speak proper English is not a job requirement!

(6) We wanted to go to Jeju because we heard it might be designated one of the "New 7 Wonders."

(7) It's America's fault.

(8) We don't know what a friggin' "Hub" is, so when we heard that Korea was inviting people to come to the "Hub," we thought it meant the ship. Silly us.

(9) Did we mention we were drunk?

and, my personal favorite....

(10) YOU MUST UNDERSTAND!!!!

Back on topic ........ The Korean media's scrounging for compliments is just getting silly.

Happy New Year.

They're American. They Can't Understand.

2011-02-02T09:59:00.007+09:00

I was watching a Korean Drama/Comedy the other day named "굿모닝 프레지던트" (Good Morning President).

During a scene where the president was giving a speech, the camera panned across the audience. Now when I see this happen in a drama I always look for the token "Weigukin" in the audience. Sure enough I saw a few (E-2 visa violating?) foreigners acting as foreign diplomats in the scene.

During a dramatic point in the scene, where the man giving the speech was going on and on about something I won't bore you with, the camera cuts to the foreigners. The one foreigner leans over to the other and asks "What is he saying?" To which, the other foreigner replies " I don't know. I'm an American also."

My wife laughed. I didn't.

This scene spoke volumes to me. Why didn't the line read "I don't speak Korean either." Or, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Korean." Or, even the more realistic "I don't know. My boss forced me to come to this stupid meeting."

Why is it still difficult for many of our hosts to understand that a white, or non-Korean, face does not equal an inability to understand and/or speak Korean.

Sometimes when I meet someone and I start speaking Korean, the Korean person will speak English to me. I respond in Korean and they again speak in English. If it is someone I have never met before, I start speaking the little German I know. After the inevitable "uh, uh, uh," I say in Korean "Let's speak in Korean, OK?" This usually gets my point across.

I don't do it to be mean or condescending. I assume their wanting to speak English is their attempt to make it easier for me - or to practice their English.

I do it to make a point. That being, stop assuming that a white face equals an inability to communicate in Korean. Conversely, don't assume that a white face means the person will automatically understand English. It may come as a shock, but there are Northern Europeans who do not speak English .... like the Irish, for example!

Please, my Korean friends, if you are serious about being "global," learn to hear Korean that is spoken by someone that may not have perfect pronunciation. Lord knows, expats in Korea learn that skill for English very quickly.

Also, a message to Korean GS25, Family Mart, and other "stop-n-rob" clerks, please stop showing me the calculator when I repeat to you, in Korean, the amount of my purchase. I know my Korean pronunciation is not that bad.

Rant over.

I Wonder...

2011-01-31T13:34:00.002+09:00

Over the weekend I talked to a friend who used to teach on Jeju. My friend left Jeju after living here many years and is now living and working on the mainland.

As we talked, my friend discussed the differences between the kids and people on the mainland and the kids/people on Jeju.

I was somewhat taken aback by my friends firmly held belief that the people/kids on Jeju are NOT as polite as those on the mainland.

My own experience is somewhat limited regarding teaching on the mainland. Consequently, I don't have the background knowledge required to refute my friend's opinion. But, I did have to wonder. I wondered if we, some of us at least, see English ability as a measure of politeness.

After thinking about it, I started to form the opinion that we may, in fact, sometimes equate English ability with friendliness. I'm not saying this is the case with my friend, but I had to wonder.

Does the lack of English ability on the island, by the day to day locals you are likely to encounter, result in a default setting of thinking people are impolite or "cold" because they can't communicate in our language? Do some of us, incorrectly, interpret a Jeju person's embarrassment or fear of trying to communicate in English as rude? I wonder. Is this transferred to our thoughts about the kids? I wonder.

Now, I have the opinion, as do others more experienced than I, that the level of English on Jeju is abysmal when compared to places like Bundang, Apgujeong, Gangnam or other places in and around Seoul. Does this disparity in English ability translate into a perceived disparity in friendliness? Again, I wonder.

Or, is all my wondering a waste of time? I wonder. Are, generally speaking, Jeju people and students less polite than people and kids on the mainland? Hmmmmm.

New 7 Wonders Campaign - Why I Won't Vote for Jeju

2011-01-24T10:46:00.007+09:00

You thought you hated me before? ............

Recently, the government, and press, has been all gaga about the New 7 Wonders" campaign.

I won't go into what it is. You can read about it here and other places.

On message boards and in the media the "Vote for Jeju!" mantra is becoming louder. Now, being the kind of guy I am, I asked myself "Why vote for Jeju?"

The obvious, knee-jerk, myopic, clone-type response is "Well, you live here. Don't you love Jeju?" Yes, I live here. Yes, I love being on Jeju. No argument there. But that's also the problem.

When I start asking questions such as "How does Jeju stack up against the other nominees?" or "What does the government hope the designation will bring to Jeju?" My thoughts are not so myopic or "clone-ish."

When looking at the other nominees, I try to imagine what Jeju offers that they don't. Or, what is so unique about Jeju that can't be found in other parts of the world. The answer I came up with is..... not much.

I mean, really. Jeju oreums over the Grand Canyon? Chunjiyeon Falls over the Angel Falls? Really? The small islands off of Seogwipo over The Great Barrier Reef? Think so? Mt. Halla over the Matterhorn or Vesuvius? That's a bit of a stretch. The Seogwipo Forest over the Black Forest or the Amazon? Whatever.

Yeah, Jeju is nice. I love living here. For a family living in a cramped concrete high-rise apartment in Daegu, Busan or Seoul, Jeju may even be heaven on Earth. I understand. But in comparison to the other nominees around the world..........well.........

What will designation bring to Jeju? Well, I'll let the government representative speak to this issue:

It is the way to promote Korea’s status and strengthen the nation’s brand power.

In comparison, if Jeju is selected one of the New7Wonders of Nature, the figures from the brand value and economic spillover will be sensational and beyond comprehension, even by my calculation as an economist.

There you have it. The rallying cry "We must improve Korea's brand power (Whatever that is)."

It's all 'bout the Won baby! The designation may mean more tourists. Which will mean the need for more (tacky) touristy places on Jeju. After all, Jeju really needs another friggin' golf course, overpriced resort complex or "World Museum of Poop" or whatever, doesn't it? How about paving all the Olle routes and assigning Olle traffic cops? Trash? What trash? Just the other day I heard a person lamenting the fact that there aren't enough speeding tourist buses on Jeju's back roads. Plus, the percentage of lost tourists in rental cars causing traffic accidents is just not high enough. We need more smoking and careening tourist buses and rental car caused accidents on Jeju, don't we? We want more concrete and asphalt on Jeju, right?

In my opinion, and this is only my opinion, the rush towards making Jeju the hub of this, that, or the other thing, is having the opposite effect of what was intended by some well-meaning people. That is, the rush to develop Jeju as something special will have the opposite effect of making Jeju just another tacky, paved-over, crowded, traffic congested, environmentally damaged, over-hyped place to avoid.

You want to see an example of what I am talking about? Take a trip over to the Iho Beach area. Take a look at the much-hyped park they built last year. Beautiful, isn't it (insert sarcasm here). Hey, how about going to Iho Beach in your car or driving along the ocean road from Dodu-dong to Tapdong during the tourist season. That's a relaxing little trip, isn't it (sarcasm intended)?

The adjective often used when describing the truly beautiful places around the world is "unspoiled." I'm afraid if things continue to go they way they are, Jeju will never be a contender for that "jewel in the crown of a glorious Korea."

Do my thoughts make me disloyal to my adopted home? Am I somehow mean-spirited because I probably won't vote for Jeju? Some may think so, and they are entitled to their opinion. However, when I take off the rose-colored glasses and think about what the designation may mean for "development" obsessed government/developer types, I find I have no other choice but to vote my conscience.

So, for me, I think I will try to do Jeju a favor. I won't vote for Jeju.

On an unrelated note, have you noticed how they never include fuel tanks, large warehouses or oil storage facilities in artist renderings of the new navy base? Think about it.

Nuff said.

Advice to Somali Pirates (and South Korea)

2011-01-22T13:08:00.003+09:00

OK, Muhammad, the next time you hijack a Korean ship, pretend you come from North Korea. You might even want to bring a North Korean flag with you to put on the hijacked ship. That way, you see, the South Koreans will be too afraid to mess with you.

Think about it. The North Koreans sink their warship and the South Koreans do nothing. The North Koreans shell a South Korean island and village. The South Korean response was, well, less than impressive. You guys mess with a ship and the South Koreans get all macho on your ass. Learn from it, Mo. Remember what the BBC said. They said, for South Korea, it was "unprecedented."

Now, South Korea you have 5 pirates, you took prisoner, to deal with. What should you do? The Kenyans won't take them. If you bring them to Korea, they'll just apply for asylum and end up making window frames for some small company in South Jeolla Province. What to do, what to do.

How about this idea? Take them back to Somalia! That's right. Take them back to their hometowns. Now, the odds are that there won't be a working airport, so you can just open up the door of the aircraft, and kick them out about 3,000 feet above their hometowns. There, problem solved!

Is That What She Really Said???

2011-01-20T12:14:00.003+09:00

I was reading the local paper today. The Jeju Weekly is a newspaper put together by a group of dedicated people. As I have repeatedly stated before, I really appreciate their efforts. I also appreciate the work of the many contributors to the paper. They take time out their schedule to put together a nice little touristy type paper for all of us on the island. Some of the articles, especially those dealing with the history of Jeju, are quite informative.

However, I was somewhat taken aback by what I read this morning. In the recent article, where locals are interviewed regarding their hopes for 2011, I came across a quote that made me go "Wuhh?"

One person that was interviewed is a soon-to-be middle school student. Her reply to the question, as posted in the article, was:

“I will enter middle school in this year so I hope that I will be a well-proportioned beautiful woman.”

...well-proportioned...?

If this is simply a mistranslation, which I hope, it might be a good idea to go back and check it. If not, the quote speaks volumes as to the negative influence pop culture is having on ever younger students through the constant celebration of plastic-surgery-enhanced-entertainment-company- manufactured-lip-synching-dancing clones.

Is being "a well-proportioned beautiful woman" a laudable goal for a young female student to have? Really?

Lies, Misrepresentations and Factual Inaccuracies - The Korean News Strikes Again!

2011-01-17T16:56:00.004+09:00

This latest example comes from the Chosun Ilbo (You thought I was going after the Korea Times again, didn't you?).

This time it was an article about the selection of a Chevy hybrid as the "North American Car of the Year." Here is the article in it's entirety:

The naming of the Chevrolet Volt as the North American Car of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show last week is sparking some controversy. At the awards ceremony on Jan. 10, only GM delighted in the win, while other auto companies and journalists from outside the U.S. were silent.

The main reason for the skepticism is that the Volt has sold only some 300 units since its launch a month ago. It is the first time that a car with such limited sales has won the award.

The Volt is about the same size as a Hyundai Avante compact, but it costs US$41,000 in the U.S. And while it's advertised as an electric vehicle, it can travel only 50 km on electric power before switching over to gasoline. After that it manages only 15 km per liter of gasoline, which is less than gasoline-only vehicles such as the Avante or Toyota Corolla.

A GM source at the motor show admitted that the Volt's sales were refigured at the last minute for the award, and that Chevrolet does not intend to sell the car in massive numbers. Hyundai's new Sonata, one of the finalists for this year's award, has sold some 202,000 cars in the U.S. and Canada.

The North American Car of the Year award recently has been disproportionately won by U.S. vehicles, which have swept four categories including sedans and SUVs in the past two years. Some critics have suggested sarcastically that the award should be renamed the U.S. Car of the Year.

Now looking at the article it seemed like just another sour grapes story paid for by a Korean corporation, this time Hyundai. The Korea Times usually "services" Samsung. Check out the number of anti-I-pod/I-pad articles in the KT vs. the articles in the KT crowing about how great the Korean ripoffs are of these Apple products.

To quote the article in Chosun:

And while it's advertised as an electric vehicle, it can travel only 50 km on electric power before switching over to gasoline. After that it manages only 15 km per liter of gasoline, which is less than gasoline-only vehicles such as the Avante or Toyota Corolla.

Wait a minute, Hondo. I checked Motor Trend Magazine. You know Motor Trend, don't you? Yeah, the one that gave out the "2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year" Award.

In it's article about the Volt it says the following:

Our testing showed that, in EV mode, the Volt uses energy at the rate 32.0 kW-hr/100 miles or a notional 105 mpg (based on the EPA calculation that a gallon of gas contains 33.7 kW-hr of energy). The internal-combustion engine sips gas at the rate of about 40 mpg.In a multiday, 299-mile test that involved a mixture of normal freeway and stop/start city driving (no hypermiling) -- and recharging the car overnight, as most consumers would -- we used a total of 58.6 kW-hr of electrical energy, and 2.36 gallons of gas. Just counting the gas, the Volt returned 126.7 mpg. Converting the gas used to energy used (79.5 kW-hr) and adding that figure to the electrical energy used gave us a notional 72.9 mpg.That's impressive.

There are other things that the Chosun article alludes to that appear to be, at best, misrepresentations. You do know the difference between 50 miles and 50 kilometers, don't you Chosun Ilbo? But the thing that really made me laugh was the fact that the battery used in the 2011 Car of the Year is made by a little Korean company named LG. That was nowhere to be found in the article by Chosun! You knew that, didn't you Chosun Ilbo? As far as the controversy is concerned, I found only one article that discusses some minor discrepancies in what GM claims. I couldn't find ANY source for the unsubstantiated comment at the end of the Chosun article. Nothing more than Hyundai management sour grapes is what is appears to be.

Why do I waste my time on all of this? I do it for one reason. NEVER trust a Korean newspaper to give you the straight story on a foreign or domestic product. In my opinion, they routinely act as cheerleaders for Korean corporations. If you're looking to buy something pricey in Korea, first check it out in publications from the West (U.S. Canada, Britain, etc.), before you buy.

Oh, and before I forget. Well done, LG and GM.

"New" (?) Jeju Attractions

2011-01-17T10:03:00.003+09:00

The JoongAng Daily had an article about the "New" attractions on Jeju. Interested, I read the article and found that the term "New" is used rather loosely. Most of the attractions listed are anything but new. But, I guess, in the ever increasing effort to "market" Jeju as a tourist destination, a little license is to be expected.

Most of the article is a wee bit ho-hum to those of us who live on "The Hawaii/Mecca/Hollywood/Hub of (fill in the blank)/etc./ etc./etc./etc. of Korea that is Jeju.

But one thing that caught my eye, and maybe this is just me, was the description of the shooting sports activities available at Daeyoo Land. At the end of the article, when they listed the prices for shooting different types of weapons, I saw this:

It costs 35,000 won for 12 shots with a .38-caliber revolver and 70,000 won for 24 shots with an automatic revolver. (emphasis mine)

I don't know if I would feel good about going to a shooting range where the operators don't know the difference between a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol. But that's just me, I guess.

I am still waiting for an article describing the free, but tried-and-true, activities available on Jeju. Such a list may include:

1) Dodging cars while crossing the street in a crosswalk.
2) Watching clueless drivers navigate the streets when it snows
3) Identifying the ingredients of the dried vomit on the sidewalks.
4) Watching expats try to buy a new cell phone.
5) Playing "Hide and Seek" with an actual English speaking nurse or office worker at a "designated foreigner hospital." ("You now pay" doesn't count.)
6) Playing "Hide and Seek" with the toilet paper in your school.
7) Listening to hundreds of elementary and middle school students shouting "Hi!"
8) Watching Canadians shout "I'm not an American, damn it!"
9) Watching Aussies shout "I'm not a Brit, damn it!"
10) Watching Kiwi's shout "New Zealand is an English speaking country, damn it!"
11) Watching South Africans shout "But, I am speaking English, damn it!"

Ah, the list is almost endless. There are many interesting things to experience on Jeju. Many of which you will never see in a Lonely Planet, or written about in a newspaper article. Ya, just gots to be here to appreciate them.

Stay warm.....

Let 'Em Kill Each Other

2011-01-09T21:39:00.003+09:00

It may seem harsh, but it's true. If you see two Koreans going at it - regardless of what is happening - regardless of what is happening - let 'em go at it. Do Not Get Involved!!!

I wrote about the lack of effective Good Samaritan laws in Korea a while back. Today, I was reminded again to stay out of it and keep walking, lest I become the victim of a so-called legal system. From the Korea Times today:

Bus driver convicted after injuring sexual assaulter

By Han Sang-hee

A bus driver who injured a sexual molester during an attempt to prevent him from assaulting another person was convicted of assault Sunday.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced a 50-year-old bus driver to six months in jail, suspended for two years, after he injured a male student who molested a female passenger and then attacked a female escort on a school bus.

Last May, a male student at a school for the disabled, started groping and sexually harassing a female student who was sitting in front of him on the bus.

When a female employee from the school told the female student to change seats, the male student got angry and attacked her, pushing her down and pressing himself on top of her.

The driver stopped the bus, and went to intervene but ended up injuring the student’s eye in the process.

“Although the injury took place while the bus driver was trying to stop the male student from making a scene, he injured him and it required six weeks of hospital treatment. Also he did not come to any settlement with the student,” the court said in a ruling.

Nothing more needs to be said, I guess.......

A Gift From Korea to the Native Speaker Teachers in Korea

2011-01-02T12:44:00.003+09:00

Merry Friggin' Christmas. Here's something to make you feel all warm and fuzzy towards our hosts here in Korea.

From the blog Gusts of Popular Feeling:

http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2010/12/from-cabinet-meeting-into-your-arm.html

If you think the above only applies to E-2 Visa holders, you are mistaken. The Ministry of Education applies the same requirement to any (dirty, AIDS infected until proven otherwise, drug abusing) native speaker teaching in a public school. I speak from personal experience about the requirement.

If you don't like this and still want to work in Korea, you can always come in on an "entertainment" visa to provide *ahem* "services" in room salons and other "clubs." These workers are now exempt from the requirement. Yep, makes sense to me.

It is beyond me how anyone would now want to come to Korea to teach English. Unless, what they say is true. That being, there are an awful lot of desperate young people in the West.

Uh, Yeah.......

2010-12-15T11:55:00.009+09:00

If you are having trouble thinking of what to give this holiday season, a friend sent me a few pics of a book she found in the young reader's section of a local library. It could be the perfect gift for that special someone.

Dr. Seuss was never quite so descriptive. Can you imagine the fun you'd have making the reading comprehension test for that book!

For those that think that our hosts here in the Land of the Morning Calm are the only ones who find bodily functions entertaining, I give you a new gift idea from our friends in Germany.....

TV-Spot Kackel-Dackel

About Learning Jeju Dialect

2010-12-10T14:18:00.002+09:00

I recently received a couple of requests from a nice person seeking info and/or materials for learning the Jeju Dialect.

From my own searches I have found that most of the resources out there are for Korean speakers who want to learn the dialect. Consequently, if you want to learn the dialect of Jeju, which is quite unique, you should have at least basic knowledge of standard Korean. I also know there are some Japanese materials available. But again, they are in Japanese.

Most of what I have picked up has been through listening to my Korean relatives and watching dramas where Jeju is the backdrop.

I wrote a couple of posts on the subject. The first, on 5/7/2006 linked to a website where the list shows standard Korean next to the Jeju equivalent. The second post, on 3/25/2007, discussed a CD the Jeju Education Office produced. You can search on this blog for those posts, if interested.

Other than these two posts, I really don't have much else to offer. If anyone has any websites, books or other material in English that they know of, please send the info my way and I'll update my posts on the subject.

Thanks.

Complaints About Hagwons on Jeju (and Korea)

2010-12-04T21:36:00.006+09:00

I was speaking with a friend this evening who mentioned a thread that is ongoing over at the Yahoo Group That Shall Remain Nameless (YGTSRN). The subject of the thread has to do with a local English Academy that is fast becoming known for less than desirable reasons. You can read about it over there.

However, there was one exchange that caught my attention. It was this:

A. E***** there is a reason why the US ambassy advises
against working in hogwons.

B. Where? I don't think they "advise against" working in
all hagwons.

I found the exchange interesting. I have done some research in years past and remember what both "A" and "B" are talking about. They are both right, in their own way.

This is what I mean:

Currently the U.S. Embassy in Seoul has advice about teaching English in Korea. However, they do not, specifically, advise against it - now. However, they do provide some important information. The section on "Contracts" begins with the following:

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.

The above is some very good information. Anyone, wanting to work at a "Hagwon" would be well advised to keep this information in mind. A few contract disputes may arise because of how a contract is viewed between the parties involved.

Now, if you go over to the U.S. State Department website and click on the "Travel Warnings" section and search under South Korea, you read this:

"We commonly receive complaints from English teachers at private language schools called hagwons. The most frequent complaints are that the schools and/or employment agencies have misrepresented salaries, working conditions, living arrangements, and other benefits, including health insurance, even when the employee has a written contract. There have also been some complaints of physical assault, threats of arrest/deportation, and sexual harassment......"

Few relative newcomers would realize that this section used to read a tad bit differently. From my own files from 2002 - 2003 I pulled up a copy of how it used to read:

"Due to the growing number and seriousness of problems experienced by American citizens teaching English in Korea, we counsel against taking such employment, even at reputable colleges or universities, except upon receipt of a favorable written referral from a current American citizen employee. We receive several complaints daily from Americans who came to Korea to teach English.

Despite contracts promising good salaries, furnished apartments and other amenities, many teachers find they actually receive much less than they were promised; some do not even receive benefits required by Korean law, such as health insurance and severance pay. Teachers' complaints range from simple contract violations through non-payment of salary for months at a time, to dramatic incidents of severe sexual harassment, intimidation, threats of arrest/deportation, and physical assault."

Why the section was rewritten can be a source of debate. I won't get into it here. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul used to copy and paste the information from the State Department website. However, this changed. The Embassy now relies on KOTESOL for the information with regards to teaching English in Korea. I know that since the U.S. Embassy has relied on KOTESOL the section has become far less critical. Again, the reasons are open for debate.

So, in my opinion both people, who were going back and forth on the thread in question, are correct in their own way.

As for the rest of what was said on the thread, although tempting, I won't get into it. I've already posted numerous times about the subject under discussion here and other related topics here.

Am I The Only One Who Thinks .........

2010-12-04T17:04:00.002+09:00

THIS is somehow missing the point?

Are All English Speech Contests on Jeju Fair?

2010-11-30T13:39:00.004+09:00

From time to time different organizations on Jeju (and elsewhere) will hold an English speech contest for elementary, middle and high school students. The topics usually range from tourism on Jeju to peace and unification on the peninsula to other more mundane subjects.

Students who choose (or are "strongly encouraged”) to participate will usually write a speech, or have one written for them, and then set about memorizing the speech for the competition. Some students I have spoken with put in a lot of hours preparing for the contests.

Prizes for winning, or placing in the top, in the contests range from various amounts of money to a sponsored 2 week trip to an English speaking country.

However, one of the most valuable prizes, for high school participants, is that a win will be reflected on their academic records. The extra couple of points it represents may be all that is needed to ensure a high school student qualifies for admission to one of the top universities in Korea. As many know, which university a student attends will, for all intents and purposes, ensure their future station in life in hyper-competitive Korea. It will also ensure the future financial security for the student’s family as well, in many cases. Winning an English speech contest, especially one sponsored by a provincial or national government department or ministry, is no small thing.

For middle school and elementary school students, a win in an English speech contest can help them qualify for some of the top high schools in Korea which, in turn, will improve their chances for admittance to a top tier university in Korea or beyond. Again, like for high school students, English speech contests can be an important stepping stone for elementary and middle school students as well.

There is even motivation for schools to have their students win contests. The school of the winner improves its reputation and will get noticed by the all- important parents groups and education administration. This will lead to favorable consideration given to prioritizing resources for the "winning" school and will then aid in attracting top level students, which will lead to more competition wins, which will further increase the schools reputation, which will attract more resources and top tier students, and on and on.

If you don’t think competitions are important to school reputations, take some time to read the signs and banners outside of schools on the island. That alone should provide a glimpse into the importance schools place on their students doing well in competitions. The banners are not only congratulatory, they are advertisements.

I know it may appear strange to us from a Western country, but that is the situation many students and schools find themselves in on the island and in the rest of the country. This situation is not restricted to English speech contests but factors into other competitions as well, such as science and math.

Now with all the above being said, it (finally) brings me to my point – and area of concern. No, I am not talking about the judging. I am talking about the eligibility to participate.

On more than one occasion, speech contests have been won by students that, in my mind, have no business being in the contest.

Most students on Jeju Island, and Korea, do not have the opportunity to attend an elementary, middle or high school in Canada, the U.S., Australia, the UK or wherever. Their English education is conducted in Korea. The opportunities for the average student on Jeju are less and different (ESL vs. EFL) than those who have had the opportunity to study in an English speaking country.

That is why I simply cannot understand how speech contest organizers on Jeju, and elsewhere, knowing how important English speech contests can be for students, allow students who have studied in another country to compete in these all important contests with students from sometimes poor families who haven't had the same opportunity. Besides being unfair, in my opinion, it borders on being unethical.

When I ask, I often hear the same excuse of “Well, we didn't let students who have studied in an English speaking country for more than a year or two years compete.” Say what? That is ridiculous. In other words they allow students who have more than a year or two or INTENSIVE IMMERSION in English, in an English speaking country, compete against students who have NONE.

Can someone please explain to me how that is fair???????????

I have had the pleasure to meet some fantastic, talented students on Jeju. Their English ability is noteworthy to say the least. They have busted their butts to learn this crazy language called English. Yet, due to some short sighted and ridiculous thinking by people in black suits, they can go their entire academic career without being recognized for their hard work, simply because some kid from a rich family received an opportunity they didn’t.

Why would a student, or a family, subject themselves to all the rigors of preparing for an English speech contest when they know that little Min Soo, just back from a year or more in Vancouver or wherever is also going to compete? As we used to say, it's a stacked deck.

The solution? It's easy. Have parallel competitions. You can have one speech competition for students who have stayed in Korea and another competition for students who have studied abroad. Why is that so difficult? Or, maybe have different categories in the same contest along the same lines. Again, why is that so difficult? That way, those kids who busted their butts in Vancouver or New York or Sydney can compete with kids who have also studied overseas. The kids who busted their butts in Korea can compete with students who also busted their humps in Korea.

Some may claim that having a contest restricted to only students who have studied overseas isn't fair because there aren't that many of them on Jeju. My response is "So what?” In my opinion, the system for English speech contests, as it is now, is unfair to the VAST majority of hardworking students (and teachers!) on Jeju.

If students want to compete with other students who went overseas, they can travel to Seoul or Bundang and compete. Oh, you mean that would be unfair? Hmmmmmm.

A Disturbed Reader Responds!

2010-11-29T10:58:00.003+09:00

I like to get comments. They are often uplifting, provide information or otherwise enlighten me. To those who have taken the time to send in a comment or two, I thank you.

From time to time I will also receive comments from people who take issue with what I have written. That’s OK, too.

I checked my mail this morning and saw where I received comments about a couple of recent posts. I feel so special! Both comments were sent in by “Anonymous.” However, based on when they were sent, and some other details, I believe they were sent by the same person. I think the ID “Anonymous” is just so cold and lacks personality, so, I decided to name the person “Disturbed.”

In response to my post about the lack of proofreading at the Korea Times I received the following from “Disturbed:”

This, coming from a supposed native speaker who can't write English grammatically. Fantastic. Blog on, retard! Your antics provide a great source of comic relief.

Well, let’s see. I have repeatedly stated on this blog that I can’t write for sh*t. I can’t and I know it. I often write and post without first checking the spelling and grammar of the post. So what? I’m not looking to win any ridiculous blog popularity contest or pass a grammar filter imposed by some ‘net guardian. However, I am glad my new best friend finds comic relief in my rants. I do what I can. “Disturbed” tells me to “Blog on!” OK, I will! Thanks for the kind words of encouragement.

In response to my posting the two pictures of the two ROK Marines that were killed last week, I received the following:

Whatever, you dirty cocksucker. Like you really care. Rumor has it you're a sleazy bastard who causes his wife nothing but grief. Any ignorant self-loving comment on that topic? Do you have any idea how many people think your blog is just a stinky piece of shit?

Wow. In this short paragraph, I am called a “dirty cocksucker,” and a “sleazy bastard” and my comments are “ignorant” and “self-loving.” “Disturbed” even finds the time to refer to my relationship with my wife. Then, I guess, asks if I have a response. Kind of voyeuristic, don’t you think? Or, maybe “Disturbed” is just trying to get a rise out of me. Kind of like the internet version of a schoolyard bully. However, if I had to guess I’d say “Disturbed” has a “special friend” that isn’t providing the emotional support they need. So sad. Hang in there, “Disturbed,” the local GS25 will have a new supply of 9 volt batteries for “Trixie” in a few days.

I think talent, as shown by “Disturbed,” would be put to better use at the Korea Times! After all, a newspaper that has as its motto “First in the Nation” could use literary talent such as that demonstrated by “Disturbed” in the above comment.

I don’t know how many people think my blog is a “stinky piece of shit.” You know what? I don’t care. Maybe I should, but I don’t. Although, I must admit the phrase “stinky piece of shit” did give me a chuckle. Thanks, for that.

Whether “Disturbed” likes my blog or not doesn’t bother me in the least. However, what does bother me a little is the post they chose to express their opinions. I posted the photos of the two young men to honor, in some insignificant way, their sacrifice. I also wanted to honor the sacrifice of their families. What is the response from “Disturbed?” “Whatever,…”

I wouldn’t usually post comments such as these. I usually just hit the delete button. However, I decided to make an exception in this case. Why? Heck if I know. Maybe I feel sorry for “Disturbed.” Maybe if I write a post in response their self-esteem and sense of self-worth will be enhanced. Which if you think about it is really, really sad.

Anyhow, in response to “Disturbed” I guess the only thing I can say is …….

Whatever…..

Have a great day.

Rest in Peace

2010-11-28T16:01:00.005+09:00

...and the next day we see this.....

2010-11-27T13:05:00.003+09:00

Elementary school student bits up his teacher

Again, I ask: Just who in the hell is in charge of proofreading over at the Korea Times?

More Quality Reporting From The Korea Times

2010-11-25T21:04:00.006+09:00

Here is the story as shown on the KT website:

Teacher becomes pregnant with her student (?)

Recently, a female teacher's secret relationship with her student in Korea shocked the nation. A similar scandal has taken place in the U.S. this time, becoming even more controversial as she has been found pregnant.

According to the AP, Jennifer Riojas, 26-year-old biology teacher at a high school in Fort Worth, Texas, had affairs with her 17-year-old student since the student was 16. Finally, her long tail got stepped on, and she had to stand before the judge. (?)

The prosecutor in charge found hotels and motels in the town had been the shelter for the forbidden relationship. Riojas couldn’t miss out the day the student was hospitalized after getting injured in a football game. (?)

The boy testified, “She drove me and paid everything.”

Riojas’ double life was uncovered when the boy reported her to the police after discovering she was pregnant. “I wasn't ready to be a father,” the student said.

Riojas resigned from her position on Oct 19 and got arrested a day later. Her pregnancy was confirmed, but the baby's biological father is yet to be known. The AP reported nothing has been decided on the custody.(?)

This whole story begs the question: Just who in the heck proofreads these stories before they are published?

You Know You've Been In Korea For A While When...

2010-11-23T20:30:00.003+09:00

the North and South start shooting at each other and you ....................

It occurred to me that after the artillery gunners from North Korea ceased fire, they probably went back to their barracks and enjoyed a hot dinner made with South Korean donated rice. I doubt the irony of that will dawn on the South Koreans. Such is the politics of appeasement.

(photo grabbed from here)

(UPDATE: Seoul is threatening a "Severe Response" to the North Korean artillery target practice. Translation: We'll cry to the UN and they will send 2, not 1, but 2 really mean letters to you. So there! Don't fark with South Korea!)

So, You Want to be President of a Korean University

2010-11-23T14:32:00.002+09:00

Think again.

I was bored so I started reading the Korea Times (before putting it in my birdcage) and came across an article about the President of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). KAIST is the top science and engineering school in Korea.

I first started taking an interest in KAIST when they hired the first foreigner to head a Korean university, Nobel Prize winning physicist R.B. Laughlin, a few years ago. He was not reappointed for a second term for obvious reasons. Those being "miscommunication," his refusal to accept the "You must understand" excuse often given to foreigners who dare to question the way things are done and, shockingly, actually expecting someone in a position of authority at KAIST to take responsibility for their decisions.

Be that as it may, I almost spit coffee on my keyboard when I saw the credit that is being given to the current president, Suh, of KAIST for things Laughlin tried to implement. For example, in today's article it reads:

"Despite resistance from some faculty and students, he has installed extreme reform measures such as a strictly merit-based tenure system, which was an unwelcomed concept for many professors with an "iron rice-bowl" mentality.

KAIST also runs an all English-campus, a controversial measure that is slowly spreading to other campuses like its rival POSTECH, in Pohang, South Gyeongsang Province.

In an unprecedented move for a state university, it has required underperforming students to shoulder their own tuition."

Every point made above was proposed and/or started by Laughlin and was, according to Laughlin's timeline and journal, obstructed and refused vehemently by the Deans and so-called "professors" at KAIST.

As an example: from Laughlin's journal while President of KAIST he wrote:

"21 Nov 05: Request aggressive action on bilingual campus initiative by deans. Key points are (1) wait until spring for undergraduate education experiment to conclude, (2) graduate instruction in English is a good idea but cannot be ordered by a foreigner and (3) main effort now is bilingual web presence." (emphasis mine)

I spent most of an entire day reading Laughlin's journal, and supporting e-mails, and can tell you it reads like a political drama. The details of what could be thought of as corruption, what might be described as possible embezzlement of University funds, political maneuvering, successful attempts to sideline the President of a University (KAIST) from any realistic decision making, obstruction, disloyalty, betrayal, nonsupport, misrepresentation (lying), crying momma's boys students, crying momma's boys professors and deans, etc. are shocking. This is all from his experience at the premier science and technology university in Korea!

Laughlin's journal should be mandatory reading for any foreigner offered any kind of leadership position in any Korean university.

There is another glaring issue that we can't discuss openly because it wouldn't be PC of us now would it? I just wonder how reforms pushed by one President are obstructed by certain people in the university and media, while the same reforms are grudgingly accepted when pushed by another president. What is the most obvious difference between the two president's pushing the same reforms? Hmmmmm.

Anyways, I think any non-Korean would be crazy to accept a leadership position at a Korean university and expect to be able to make any changes.

I don't want to take anything away from the current President of KAIST. I'm sure he is doing a fine job. However, when one reads about the crap R.B. Laughlin went through, it makes one wonder if anything has or will change at Korean universities. I hope so. But, my grandchild will probably be on Social Security before it happens in any meaningful way.

Blogging About Jeju

2010-11-23T09:46:00.004+09:00

There is a nice person that is/was trying to put together a list of blogs about Jeju. It may be of interest to some of the newcomers to our little slice of heaven.

You can find the list at:

JEJU PARTY DOT COM

Now, looking at some of the blogs it struck me how different mine may be in relation to the others.

As such, I don't recommend mine as a place for newcomers to visit to find out information about Jeju. I write about what I'm thinking about or a story I read or whatever. You usually won't find stuff about the foreigner hangouts, restaurants, tourist sites, the pitfalls of working on the island or whatever. I leave that to others.

In addition, unlike before, I usually don't write about my job. I believe that to do so would tempt me to get into personality issues and other things that are better left off-line. Do I teach Engrishee? Yes. Do I have good days and bad at work? Most definitely. Are there things that happen that make me want to pull my hair out and go postal? Once in a while. However, I don't think blogging about it is an appropriate vehicle for me to vent my frustrations. I'm not criticizing others who do. It's just not my thing. I used to, and I may slip back into it in the future, but not now.

When I do write am I critical of some things that happen on Jeju and/or Korea? Sometimes. Am I critical of my country (and others)? Sometimes. Am I critical of the antics of some of the expats on the island? Yep.

Do I follow the usually line and have a least one picture of something I ate at a restaurant? NEVER. For some reason the vast majority of bloggers on the island, and elsewhere in Korea, are simply fascinated by what they ate at a restaurant and just have to post close up pictures of this, that or the other thing. I don't understand, but to each there own. I only mention it because on 99% of the blogs I visit I find at least one post showing a picture of food. I guess my self-imposed prohibition makes me a blogging rebel of sorts!

You also won't find many pictures of the tourist sites or other locations on the island. I used to post them, but I just got tired of it. Some have said that after 3 months on the island, you've seen about everything there is to see. I find that may be true. After being so long on the island, the sites, that I have seen many times before, just don't hold the same fascination they once did. Plus, I really suck as a photographer - even when the camera is set on automatic. I recommend you go to some other blogs to see some great pictures of places on the island.

I would also like to put in another plug for the local newspaper, Jeju Weekly. I have been, and still are, a little critical of some of the stuff in the paper. But for a newcomer looking for some interesting things about Jeju, it is definitely a place on the web to check out. The people over there are working hard to put out a quality product.

Some people have questioned me as to why I seem so negative some times. I don't think I'm overly negative. However, when I think something is farked-up and I want to write about it, I don't care if the local expat community or others think I'm a jerk. I do pay attention to the opinions of the very few people I have grown to know and trust. Most of them feel I am not "negative" enough. So, I guess I'll just keep doing my thing.

Anyways, to the person putting together the list of blogs, thanks. I'm sure others will make good use of it.