Korea Portal

Teach English In Korea

Many English teachers have enjoyed their experiences in Korea. The key to happy and fruitful employment as a language instructor in Korea is to be employed by a reputable school and to negotiate a well-written contract before leaving home.

Most English teachers work in private foreign language institutes (hakwon). There are, however, positions available in several types of institutions:

• Hakwons
• Corporate in-house language programs
• Universities
• Government / private research centres
• Editing, public relations, advertising companies
• Private teaching

Hakwons

Private language institutes are found all over Korea. Some institutes are well-known with many branches while others are small and short-lived. The ESL teaching market in Korea is extremely competitive and many institutes fail. Most hakwons employ a number of instructors for conversation and occasionally for writing classes. The typical employee can expect to work 20 to 30 hours per week. The majority of classes are conducted early in the morning and in the evening, so many instructors have free time in the afternoons. Most classes have between 10 to 25 students. Pupils may be grade school or college students, or businessmen who are contemplating overseas assignments. Some of the better institutes will provide housing for instructors. The average salary is currently about 1.5 million won per month.

Corporate in-house language programs

Most large corporate groups (chaebol) have their own in-house programs. The typical instructor can expect to teach more than 30 hours per week, teaching all day from early in the morning to late at night. Most are intensive residential programs where the students study for 3 to 6 months. Some employers provide full benefits including housing, but the instructor may be required to either live on campus or commute long distances from Seoul. The average salary for these institutes is currently between 1.5 to 2 million won per month.

Universities

LANGUAGE INSTITUTES

Major universities in Seoul, as well as some provincial universities, operate foreign language institutes. Some pupils are university students, but the majority of students are businesspeople. These institutes tend to have the highest hiring standards in Korea, and most instructors have MA degrees in TESOL, and years of teaching experience. The pay, status and benefits offered by these institutes are among the best in Korea. As a result there is very low turnover.

UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS

Most universities in Korea employ full-time English conversation instructors. University classes tend to be large, with little personal contact with the students. Most instructors teach between 10 to 15 hours per week. Academic standards in Korean universities tend to be somewhat lax. Leftist, nationalistic and sometimes anti-American attitudes may prevail among some students. Most universities in Seoul do not provide housing, and some do not provide the benefits required by law. Monthly salaries currently tend to run about 1 million won per month, with 3 to 4 months of paid vacation per year.

Provincial universities generally provide better housing, working conditions and salaries, and tend to treat foreign instructors as part of the faculty. The better working conditions, however, should be balanced against the cultural isolation a foreigner may encounter living in the Korean countryside.

Government / private research centres

Many government agencies and some private companies operate research institutes. Most of these institutes hire foreigners who have degrees in humanities, economics or business administration as full-time editors. Editors proofread correspondence and research publications, write speeches, and occasionally teach. Most institutes pay quite well, and some provide housing. Because these institutes tend to be government-run or closely affiliated with powerful corporate groups, their instructors seldom experience problems in obtaining work visas.

Editing, public relations, advertising companies

Quite a few public relations and advertising companies in Korea hire foreigners to work as copy editors, and occasionally as teachers. These positions are very hard to obtain as they are quite popular with the resident English-teaching community. There are also opportunities to appear on television programs, movies and radio. Most of these positions pay quite well and some provide housing assistance.

Private teaching

Many full-time English teachers teach part-time as well, either at another institute or with privately arranged classes. Many full-time contracts stipulate that teachers are not to take on additional private work. Many English teachers however do take on private students. Part-time instruction at a second institute is legal only with permission from the sponsoring institute and Korean immigration authorities. Private students pay more per hour, but some instructors have found it hard to maintain long-term private classes. One should arrange for private lesson fees to be paid prior to each class. The Embassy reminds English teachers that they are personally responsible for any violations of Korean teaching and immigration law they might commit.

Taxes

The tax year in Korea is from June 1 to May 31. The tax rate is from 5 to 10%.

Most foreign employees are required to pay Korean income taxes, which are generally withheld and paid by the employer. Teachers working for colleges or universities are sometimes entitled to an exemption from paying Korean taxes for up to 2 years due to tax treaties.

The Tax Office maintains a list of institutes that are tax exempt. This provision applies only to teachers employed at universities, research centres, or university operated institutes. The General Affairs section of the university or research centre should be able to apply for the exemption. If the institute wrongly withholds taxes, it is required to pay a refund. Teachers at hakwons and at private companies have to pay taxes.

Contracts

English teachers in Korea occasionally have contract disputes with their employers. In the Korean context, a contract is simply a rough working agreement, subject to change depending upon the circumstances. Most Koreans do not view deviations from a contract as a breach of contract, and few Koreans would consider taking an employer to court over a contract dispute.

Instead, Koreans tend to view contracts as always being flexible and subject to further negotiation. Culturally, the written contract is not the real contract; the unwritten, oral agreement that one has with one's employer is the real contract. However, many employers will view a contract violation by a foreign worker as serious, and will renege on verbal promises if they feel they can. Any contract should be signed with these factors in mind.

Basic features of a contract should included the following provisions:

1. Salary
2. Housing
3. Airline tickets
4. Working hours
5. Class sizes
6. Severance pay
7. Taxes
8. Medical insurance