This week saw me trying to convince my coworkers and my boss why ‘perennial’ cannot be matched with potential, for we all know that everlasting potential doesn’t actually do anything. My favourite editing gems this week were “Mrs Lee, propelling a swing” (she was sitting on a swing) and “Listening to the expounder at Gwangajeong”. Sometimes the dictionary is not your friend. Remember English learners, Keep It Simple!
As you may have guessed, the magazines are almost finished. I think the guy is driving the final copies to the printer as we speak. We had two to do this week as our monthly ‘only Indians come to our trips but we must put a white family on the cover’ magazine and our quarterly were both being sent out this week. So for now I’m in a kind of ennui at work, but this does give me time to study Korean, refresh Chinese and work out how to become a polyglot. I have no intention of being able to speak 10+ languages but I do like learning how these people’s brains work. You could say I’m a little like Sylar from Heroes, just without the murderous intent. Anyway, onto the news.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/09/123_52506.html
In what probably comes as no surprise to anyone working in a private institute/hagwon/academy/’school’, Korea’s National Tax Service has found that the private education industry (as well as wedding hall operators, strangely enough) omit on average 46% of their income when filing their taxes. Institutes often encourage parents to pay in cash so they can leave it out of their income. The same goes for some self-employed professionals such as doctors, lawyers and dentists.
One can see how unregulated the private education industry is by the sheer level of tax evasion going on. When owners see that they can set any price and then not have to pay tax on it, is it really any surprise fees are so high? Couple that with many Korean parents feeling they need to keep up with the Kims (Kim’s child goes to hagwon until 9pm, therefore my child must go until 10pm) and the general cluelessness of foreign teachers when it comes to Korean laws on tax/health insurance/overtime/holiday pay/immigration and you have a disaster waiting to happen. I was lucky enough that my current employer helped me fill out my income tax forms, after which I realised that nearly every English teacher that starts work in March or later can claim a decent amount as a tax refund for not working the full year. There was no way my previous employer would have told me that (they dragged their feet on this matter until my boss intervened and since he is pretty high up in a chaebol even unruly hagwon owners do as he says).
I guess we are slowly learning that some regulation is needed in any market. We aren’t talking about a straitjacket. Instead, think of it like gravity. Do what you like as long as you remember that what goes up must come down and that will never change.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/09/27/2003454588
Rebiya Kadeer was refused entry into Taiwan and demanded an apology from the Taiwanese government (headed by Ma Ying-jeou) for linking her and the Worldwide Uyghur Congress to terrorists. The Chinese government accusses Kadeer of instigating riots in Xinjiang on July 5. She had been invited by rocker Freddy Lim to visit in December. Kadeer also accussed Taiwan of bowing to pressure from Beijing (hoping that this will make them change their mind!?). For one, governments do not take kindly to being accussed of bending to another nation’s will. I think what motivated Taiwan more was the simple business motive. Recently things have been looking peachy between the mainland and what it regards as a wayward province, with the central government all but confirming that Taiwan is actually a separate country
Why would you need a Council for Reunification if Taiwan is already a part of China anyway (bonus points for guessing where the quote in the caption is from). Business between Taiwan and the mainland is picking up but still has a long way to go.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/09/113_52542.html
Our final story is about the ever multiplying chameleon-esque group After School (애프터스쿨). The girls, current count six with Son Dambi sometimes subbing in, were on their way back to Seoul when they were “harrassed by rowdy bikers”. Now, when I hear ‘bikers’ a sort of word recognition game begins in my brain where I get images of big ZZ Top-looking blokes on choppers with WW2 helmets, tattoos, leather and sawn-off shot guns. A K-pop group rarely figures in that slideshow (but it probably will now). The ’bikers’ in the article seem more like yong hoons with a crush. The chase ended when one of these clowns hit a car (maybe it was a parked car?). Come on guys, just leave After School ALONE. Stay strong girls.
*George has After School’s debut song as his wake-up alarm
Filed under: China, Economy, Korea, LCI, Taiwan, crime, hagwon, management, teaching in Korea, this week in Korea | Tagged: After School, China-Taiwan relations, Council for Reunification, Freddy Lim and Rebiya Kadeer, K-pop, keeping up with the Kims, Konglish, Rebiya Kadeer China, Rebiya Kadeer Taiwan, Son Dambi, tax evasion in Korea, tax in Korea, ZZTop
I like that it is. Thought should have talked more in the future