South Korea - The Korea Times

Migrant women call for 'equal pay for equal work'

Female migrant workers and local activists demand the government provide better working conditions for migrant women at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) in central Seoul, Nov. 17. / Courtesy of Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea80 percent of female migrants experience disadvantages in workplace By Lee Hyo-jin Hundreds of female migrant workers employed at government-run facilities are suffering discrimination and unfair treatment, according to a recent survey by Hope Center with Migrant Workers, a civic group based in Seoul. The survey results were revealed on Wednesday at a discussion session held by the Women Migrants Human Rights Center of Korea ahead of International Migrants Day which falls on Dec. 18. About 80 percent of the 403 respondents working as interpreters, counselors and bilingual tutors stated that they have experienced discrimination such as unequal payment, limited promotion opportunities and unrecognized work experience. “I've been working as an interpreter at a multicultural family support center for 13 years, during which I hav

Dec 17, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin

Migrant women call for 'equal pay for equal work'

College student bridges Korean, Vietnamese cultures

Jeon Hyung-jun poses in a radio booth at Voice of Vietnam (VOV) World, a Vietnamese public broadcaster, where he used to work as a radio producer in 2019. / Courtesy of Jeon Hyung-junBy Lee Hyo-jin Jeon Hyung-jun, 26, has helped more than 2,000 Vietnamese expatriates in Korea over the past seven years by offering free interpretation services using his bilingual skills. The undergraduate student at Sogang University majoring in Global Korean Studies serves as a volunteer at BBB Korea, a consulting service for foreigners in the country. Jeon is on the hotline 24/7 to provide interpretation services in various situations: at police stations, hospitals, banks, COVID-19 testing sites and so on. “Being an interpreter is not only about delivering words, but sometimes I become the mediator bridging two cultures by helping them understand their cultural differences,” Jeon told The Korea Times. He recalled a recent incident in which he had helped out an international married couple going through conflicts due to language differences. He helped them to understand each other through

Dec 17, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin

College student bridges Korean, Vietnamese cultures

Korea Encounters Hahn Dae-soo's 18-day rollercoaster ride of fame in 1968

Hahn Dae-soo at a young age / Korea Times archive By Matt VanVolkenburgIn August 1968, Hahn Dae-soo, then 20, returned to Korea after an absence of four years. Incredibly, though he had only ever played music at open-mic nights, eight days later he found himself performing his own songs on national television.A complicated family situation had led to Hahn growing up on both sides of the Pacific, and in his late teens he attended the University of New Hampshire briefly before dropping out and studying at the New York Institute of Photography. During that time he lived in Alphabet City, which he described to The Korea Times as “the slum of the slum” of New York City. “At that time, in the '60s, that's where all the drug- not only addicts, but where the dealers hung out. Hookers, Che Guevara wannabes, people making bombs, it was crazy!”While living there, Hahn performed at open mic nights in the West Village, where the wealthy hippies lived. He received cheers for an e

Dec 15, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Korea to ease re-entry rules for migrant workers

Migrant workers stage a rally calling for better working conditions in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, in this December 2018 photo. / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jin Korea will ease qualifications for re-entry permits for migrant workers to improve their employment conditions, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Tuesday.The ministry said the revision to the Act on Employment of Foreign Workers was approved in a Cabinet meeting.Under the current laws, migrant workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) enter Korea with a contract that initially allows them to work for up to three years, after which they can extend the period by one year and 10 months if their employer agrees. “Diligent workers” who have maintained stable employment without changing their workplace during their four years and 10 months in Korea could be granted another chance to re-enter the country after a three month period. The revised bills will shorten the period to one month, in order to minimize the workforce vacuum due to the absence of foreign employees. Also, migrant workers who cha

Dec 15, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea to ease re-entry rules for migrant workers

Holiday in North Korea Canadian detained for 2 years in China

Michael Spavor, left, and now-Korea Times copy editor Jon Dunbar pose with an image of Kim Jong-il, father of North Korea's current leader, at Nampo Barrage on the west coast, in August 2010. / Courtesy of Michael's friend By Jon DunbarAlmost two years ago, my friend Michael Spavor sent me an email saying he was coming to visit South Korea from Dec. 10 to 15 or so, promising to show up for a lecture by the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea. He set out from his home in Dandong, China, just across the river from North Korea, but he never made it to Seoul. He was accosted on his way to catch his plane, accused of espionage.For two years now, the fate of my friend, and that of fellow Canadian detainee Michael Kovrig, has been a crisis for Canada. It is a problem caused by the trade war between China and the U.S. It also should concern Korea ― both Koreas, which China also pushes around to get its way. Michael has a lot of friends in the South. As well as being socially

Dec 8, 2020By Jon Dunbar

[Holiday in North Korea] Canadian detained for 2 years in China

Comedians reigniting Seoul's stand-up scene

Stand Up Seoul group photo / Courtesy of Tatata Studio By Kyung LeeMove aside, LA, New York and London ― Stand Up Seoul hopes to make Korea the next global hub for stand-up comedy.With members from America, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, India, China and more, the one thing that unites this global network of foreign and local comics is their love for English-language stand-up comedy.Stand Up Seoul has a long history of dedicated leaders over the years, starting with its founder Brian Aylward who released his stand-up special “Big in Asia” last month. It is now led by Korean comedian, host and beatboxer Sang Don Park and Korean comedian, comedy podcaster and producer Fernando Kim. Sang Don Park performs at Lupine Studios in Melbourne, Australia. / Courtesy of Maximal Focus Stand Up Seoul hadn't always been bursting with life.

Dec 8, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Comedians reigniting Seoul's stand-up scene

RAS Korea begins presidential succession

Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea President Brother Anthony, left, and Vice President Steven L. Shields, who will take over as president next year, take off their masks momentarily for a picture at the RAS Korea book sale on Nov. 7. / Korea Times photo By Jon DunbarRoyal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea is undergoing a generation change, as Brother Anthony of Taize steps aside after 10 years as president of the 120-year-old organization. Starting next year, Steven L. Shields, currently vice president, will fill his shoes. Brother Anthony, born in Cornwall, U.K. in 1942, has a long history with Korea. After joining the ecumenical monastic community of Taize in 1969 and spending three years in the Philippines, he moved to Korea in May 1980 on invitation of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan. He began teaching at Sogang University in September that year until retiring in 2007, and took Korean citizenship in 1994, taking on the Korean name An Sonjae. He was chosen to head RAS Kor

Dec 1, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Friends of Korea Finding 'home' in a leprosy settlement

Incoming Peace Corps Volunteers visit Benjamin Bryan in 1980. / Courtesy of Benjamin BryanBy Benjamin BryanAs a 21-year-old African American fresh out of college with a sociology degree, dreaming of faraway places and exotic cultures, I decided that it was time to see the world and to right all the wrongs in life.To that end, I joined the Peace Corps more than a year later, and in March 1979 I was directed to the tiny leprosy settlement of So Ah Village in modern-day Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. This experience completely transformed my life, and was the basis of enduring memories that bound me forever to this place and its people. My Peace Corps language instructors tried to assimilate our given names phonetically to Korean names, and I was renamed Park Myung-sik.The home where Benjamin Bryan lived in the village, seen in 2006 / Courtesy of Benjamin BryanDespite having spent three months in a leprosy research center in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, immersed in extremely intensive cultural, language and medical instruction, it soon became obvious I did not have the practical skills

Dec 1, 2020By Jon Dunbar

Foreign residents experience discrimination amid COVID-19

Signs hanging at four eateries in Seoul stating that foreigners are not allowed to enter. / Courtesy of Dominic PhuaBy Lee Hyo-jin Dominic Phua, 30, a Chinese-Singaporean office worker in Seoul, feels hesitant about taking taxis after being kicked out of one for the second time in September, when the driver noticed he was a foreigner. “The same had happened to me once in March during the early stages of the pandemic. Both times they suddenly asked me to get out of the car midway, treating me like a coronavirus spreader. I was so shocked at the time that I couldn't even take a picture of the car number plate or report it to the police,” recalled Phua. He also shared several incidents in which he was denied entry to eateries and cafes due to his nationality. “At a cafe in Seoul I was allowed to enter, probably because I'm ethnically Asian, but after they heard me and my friends talking in English, we were immediately asked to leave. When we asked why, the staff replied 'it's our policy set by the manager',” Phua told The Korea Times. Ksenia Petrova, a student fr

Nov 27, 2020By Lee Hyo-jin

Foreign residents experience discrimination amid COVID-19

Foreign Line

Restaurants celebrate US ThanksgivingThursday is Thanksgiving, an autumn holiday involving great amounts of food that is sort of an American version of Chuseok. Foreign restaurants and bars mark the occasion by offering foods such as roast turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie, which are hard to come by for North American expats living in Korea. These events fill up fast, and especially this year as it is unclear how they will proceed. Seating is likely to be extremely limited due to social distancing measures. Anyone wishing to participate should RSVP as soon as possible. Southside Parlor is offering a dinner this Thursday, with room for only 30 guests. Entry costs 45,000 won. Visit southsideparlor.com or fb.com/southsideparlor for more information. Hustle Itaewon is providing a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday night. Entry is free but there is a two-drink minimum. The event starts at 7 p.m. and food comes out at 8 p.m. Everything is first come, first served. Visit fb.com/hustleitaewon for more information. The Hidden Cellar is offering a Thanksgiving buffet

Nov 24, 2020By Jon Dunbar

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