Q) I would like to get a license in Korea, but I’d like to take classes in English. Who should I contact for more information?
A) According to the Driving School Association, you can find materials in English for the written exam at any driving school. There are also English speaking instructors available. For more information, call the association directly at (02) 2633-4487.
Q) To get a Korean license I had to leave my U.S. drivers license with the authorities. But my friends were able to get Korean licenses without doing this. I was wondering why there is a difference in procedure?
A) With the revised transportation law effective since June of 2006, those with certain types of visas are required to leave their drivers license with the transportation authority and they are exempted from a written test. To get the license back prior to leaving the country, one must show their airplane ticket and passport.
Q) I am Mongolian and would like to get a job here. What should I do?
A) You can contact the Seoul Job Center. It is located in Janggyo Building near from the exit 4 at Euljiro Station on line 2.
Q) I’d like to know more about maternity leave. I am working for a very well known Korean company as the only foreigner on an E7 visa. But my company is giving me a hard time with my maternity leave. I am due to have my baby next week, and I am already on my three-month leave. But they alleged that there are other regulations in the labor law that they say don’t apply to me.
A) Please refer to the Labor Standard Law that can be found at the Web site of the Ministry of labor (http://english.molab.go.kr).
According to the law, an employer shall grant a pregnant female worker 90 days of maternity leave before and after childbirth. In such case, 45 days or more shall be allocated after childbirth. Also, an employer shall not dismiss, lay off, suspend, transfer a worker, reduce wages, or take other punitive measures against a worker without justifiable reasons.
An employer shall not dismiss any worker during a period of temporary interruption of work for medical treatment of an occupational injury or disease and within 30 days thereafter. An employer also may not fire any female worker before and after childbirth during the period of temporary interruption of work as provided herein and within 30 days thereafter. If an employer has paid lump sum compensation or is not able to continue business, this shall not apply.
For more questions, please contact (02) 1544-1350 with the extension number 7 for English speakers. You can also be advised from the Seoul Bar Association as they offer free legal counseling service for foreigners only on Mondays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Seoul Help Center for Foreigners (SHC), operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Business Agency (SBA), is an organization that provides foreigners in Seoul with comprehensive information and advice in daily life, business and tourism.
Seoul Help Center for Foreigners (SHC)
Tel: (02) 731-6800
Fax: (02) 731-6803
http://shc.seoul.go.kr
