English Teacher Vetting Needs Tightening

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

Both immigration and education authorities have long turned a blind eye to loopholes in screening "unqualified" foreign English teachers.

That inattention occasionally horrifies parents and students when such teachers show their true colors. The latest case involves a Korean-American English teacher, who police said used to be involved in organized crime in Los Angeles.

According to industry sources, "hagwon" or cram schools have improved their screening, requiring teachers to submit copies of their graduation certificates on applying for positions, but small institutes often skip this procedure. This was the case with the former gangster teacher whose true identity was recently exposed.

Under Korean visa rules, native English speakers applying for the E-2 English teaching visa are required to submit police background checks and drug test documents. However, ethnic Koreans, who can gain a residential F-4 visa, are exempted from the screening procedures.

Earlier, The Korea Times reported about complaints from E-2 visa holders and problems with the "unfair" visa policy. In response, the Korea Immigration Service (KIS) said it would not change its policy to favor ethnic Koreans, while the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, responsible for overseeing hagwon or private institute teachers, said they would devise ways to close the loopholes.

However, the government has not come up with any measures in over a year to block unqualified ethnic Korean English teachers.

Immigration and education officials are passing the buck. "F-4 visa holders are allowed to do all kinds of jobs as it is a residential card, so hagwon supervisors have to weed out unqualified English teachers among the visa holders," said Jeon Dal-su, an official from the immigration office.

Chung Young-min, an education ministry official said, "If it's a problem regarding visas, then it should be a subject for immigration authorities."

Police announced Tuesday they arrested a group of unqualified English teachers who habitually took drugs. Among them were two Korean-Americans, who were members of gangs in Los Angeles. One fled to Korea after allegedly murdering another Korean-American and the other was deported from the U.S. after being charged with attempted murder and drug offenses.

The two used to teach children English at hagwon in Seoul, using fabricated degrees.

This is not the first case when police have caught an unqualified English teacher, wanted by Interpol. In 2008, another ethnic Korean from the U.S. wanted for murder was arrested here having taught English at hagwon for nearly 10 years.

Currently, there are 50,666 F-4 visa holders and 22,018 E-2 visa holders as of December 2009, according to KIS. Among those with F-4 visas, the government does not know how many are involved in English teaching.

In the meantime, police plan to expand their investigation of native English-speaking teachers having criminal records or using drugs. "Many hagwon blindly hire such teachers due to the English education fever in Korea. They need to be more cautious in their recruitment," said a police official.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr

LA 한인갱 국내에서 영어강사

한인 갱단출신의 한국계 미국인과 재미교포가 미국에서 강력범죄를 저지른 뒤 국내로 들어와 영어강사 생활을 해오다 경찰에 적발됐다.

이들은 국내 어학원에서 학생들을 가르치면서 마약 흡입ㆍ판매 등 범법행위를 해와 무분별한 해외파 영어강사 고용의 문제점을 고스란히 드러냈다. 한인갱단출신으로 미국 시민권자인 이모(26)씨는 2006년 7월14일 로스앤젤레스 코리아타운의 한 카페에서 돌잔치를 하던 한국계 미국인과 시비 끝에 흉기로 살해하고 3일 뒤 국내로 도피했다. 인터폴 적색수배가 내려진 이씨는 이중국적자로 수사기관의 추적을 피하기 위해 다음해 10월 국내법원에서 이름도 바꿨다.

모친의 도움으로 도피생활을 하던 이씨는 학력을 위조한 허위이력서를 만들어 지난해 6월 수도권 등지에서 영어강사로 일하며 학생들을 가르쳤다. 이씨는 이 과정에서 상습적으로 대마초도 흡입해 왔으며 범죄첩보를 입수한 경찰에 16일 체포됐다. 경찰은 아울러 영어강사로 일하면서 마약을 판매한 혐의로 재미교포 이모(26)씨도 체포, 23일 구속했다. 역시 LA 한인갱단 출신인 이씨는 미국에서 살인미수로 복역 후 2006년 4월 국내로 강제 추방됐다. 이씨는 지난해 4월부터 서울 강남의 유명 어학원에 허위이력서를 내 영어강사로 취직, 외국인 및 재미교포 출신 영어강사에게 히로뽕과 대마초를 공급한 혐의를 받고 있다.

이씨는 갱단 조직원을 통해 히로뽕과 대마초를 국내에 밀반입한 것으로 드러났다. 경찰은 이씨로부터 마약을 공급받아 상습 복용한 미국인 영어강사 등 5명은 불구속 입건했다.