By John Redmond
Contributing writer
With Korea emerging as a popular destination for many foreigners seeking employment due to the healthy local economy, a host of travel guide publishers are also offering books targeting such people.
One such company, the Moon travel guide Living Abroad series offers "Living Abroad in South Korea" written by Canadian-born Jonathan Hopfner.
Hopfner has made the move to Korea twice, living here as a journalist, investor, husband and homeowner.
Through this he has experienced firsthand the ins and outs of living abroad in Korea ― from banking and business realities to the immigration and business procedures.
Weighing in at over 230 pages, the book is divided into four sections; Welcome to South Korea, Daily Life, Prime Locations and Resources.
Welcome to South Korea is an informative introduction to Korean history, culture, government, economy and people, including tips when arriving and sample itineraries for getting a sense of the place. It is highly recommended for newcomers, especially those arriving with children.
Daily Life, covers the essentials associated with living in Korea such as immigration, education, employment, health, language, finance, communications and travel and transportation. This section is the meat and potatoes of the book and is very accurate and up-to-date.
Prime Locations, presents an overview of settling in Korea, first looking at Seoul then the rest of the nation dividing it into east, west and Jeju Island.
Resources is a comprehensive list of addresses, phone numbers and internet information regarding, embassies and consulates, hospitals, health insurance, real estate agents and international schools.
There is also a glossary, phrasebook (very basic), a list of suggested reading and ― this writer's favorite ― suggested movie titles, including Park Chan-wook's "JSA" and "Memories of Murder" by Bong Joon-ho.
The author has done some thorough research with insights and anecdotes that could only come from a person truly immersed in Korean culture.
A fine example of this is a chapter on how the internet almost brought down a president.
The internet plays a large role in Korean society with many banking, dating, forging friendships and forming opinions online.
In the summer of 2008, thousands of citizens, many of high school age, took to the streets of Seoul to voice discontent at the Lee Myung-bak administration's controversial decisions, including opening up the Korean market to U.S. beef.
What started as small protests grew into large organized vigils, updated by websites and netizens keeping the public constantly up-to-date, with webcams also keeping the police in check.
Though the protests eventually ceased and the president stuck to his guns, the role of the internet was enough to cause concern among politicians.
Jonathan Hopfner is currently based in Seoul, where he lives with his wife and son and works for the Reuters news agency
The book also includes color and black and white photos, illustrations, and maps, making the moving and transition process easy for businesspeople, students, teachers, retirees and professionals.
"Living Abroad in South Korea" is available at bookstores or at www.moon.com