TEFL Locations in South Korea - Living in South Korea
Banking, General Facts, History, Language, Medical Insurance, People & Culture, Qualifications, Sending Money Home, Things to bring, Things to do, Getting Around, Getting There
ESL Jobs in South Korea, Teach English in South Korea
ATM and Debit Cards with the Plus and Cirrus logos are the easiest to use and most widely accepted in Korea. Some places even accept international cards like China Union Pay, Maestro, Electron, and JCB cards.
Banks as well as other sites have ATMs where customers can make withdrawals, deposits, and fund transfers. However, as all ATM transactions require an account with a Korean bank, ATMs are not particularly convenient for international travelers except for getting cash advances on a credit card. If you have an account with Citibank, however, you can enjoy a more extensive range of banking services. Just visit a Citibank location nearby for ATM or counter services. Some ATM/CD machines operate 24 hours a day, while others are open from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Cash dispenser machines, called CDs, which only offer cash withdrawal services, can be found in subways, convenience stores, railway stations, bus terminals, and department stores. Most are open 24 hours a day and dispense cash in 10,000 won units. Most machines display English directions on the monitor, and others also have Japanese and Chinese.
The major banks in South Korea are:
• Korea Exchange Bank
• Shinhan Bank
• Citibank
Population
As of 2006, the population of the Republic of Korea stood at 49,024,737. In
terms of density, there are roughly 480 people per square kilometer. The number
of people aged 65 and older was up 0.5 percent from 2005, numbering 4.56
million, roughly 9.3 percent of the entire population.
People
Koreans are primarily from one ethnic family and speak one language.
Koreans are primarily from one ethnic family and speak one language. Sharing
distinct physical characteristics, they are believed to be descendants of
several Mongol tribes that migrated onto the Korean Peninsula from Central Asia.
Language
Hangeul, Korea’s official language, was first invented by King Sejong during the
mid-15th century. Originally called Hunminjeongeum, the language was fully
conceived in 1443, and further promulgated by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty
in 1446.
Religion
South Korea has four main religions and they are Buddhism, Protestantism &
Catholicism, Confucianism and Shamanism.
History
The Second World War had divided a unified Korea into two halves – North and
South. The two Cold War rivals, erstwhile Soviet Union and United States, formed
governments in the North and South respectively. North came to be ruled by the
Soviets while the South was under the control of the US government. The 1943
Cairo Declaration had promised of the unification of North and South Korea but
that never materialized. Since then anything and everything that happened below
38th parallel forms a part of the South Korean history.
Syngman Rhee became the first President of South Korea while Kim II-sung was
installed as the North Korean President. All hell broke loose when on June 25,
1950 the North Koreans invaded South at the instigation of Stalin. As North
Korea threatened to roll over the South with the backing of China and Soviet
Union, the UN had no other option but to intervene. The war reached a stalemate
and the 1953 Armistice resulted in the peninsula split along the demilitarized
zone. Technically the North and South are still at war as the treaty was never
signed by South Korea.
The highlight of the South Korean history was the student uprising of 1960. This
led to the resignation of the President. What followed was a period of political
unrest. General Park Chung-hee led a military coup and became the President in
1961. He was later assassinated in 1979. In 1980 General Chun Doo-hwan staged a
military coup and became President. His rule saw the infamous Gwangju Massacre.
The best phase in South Korean history came in 1988 when Seoul was chosen as the
venue for the Summer Olympics. In 1996 it became a member of the OCED. Now South
Korea is one of the leading countries in Asia with a say on the political and
economic matters of the region. No wonder, South Korea is a preferred
destination among the TESOL teachers who wants to teach English abroad.
The different states of India have different official languages, some of them not recognized by the central government. Some states have more then one official language. Bihar in east India has three official languages - Hindi, Urdu and Bengali - which are all recognized by the central government. But Sikkim, also in east India, has four official languages of which only Nepali is recognized by the central government. Besides the languages officially recognized by central or state governments, there are other languages which don't have this recognition and their speakers are running political struggles to get this recognition. Central government decided that Hindi was to be the official language of India and therefore it also has the status of official language in the states.
The visitors, who want to go to South Korea, they will be very happy to know that no vaccinations are necessary for entry to South Korea. In South Korea, the standards of medical facility are high and it is similar with the standards of medical care offers by the other developed countries. Advance payment for treatment is generally expected. Medical insurance including provision for repatriation is recommended. Therefore, visitors must get information about South Korea Health and Safety as much as they can before travel to South Korea.
Korea's population is one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous in the world. Except for a small Chinese community (about 20,000), virtually all Koreans share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. With 48.85 million people, South Korea has one of the world's highest population densities. Major population centres are located in the northwest, southeast, and in the plains south of the Seoul-Incheon area. Half of the population actively practices religion. Among this group, Christianity and Buddhism are Korea’s dominant religions. The Korean society remains highly imbued with Confucian values and beliefs. The remaining 1% of the population practice Shamanism which is a type of traditional spirit worship and Chondogyo which is a traditional religion.
The Korean language is spoken by more than 65 million people living on the peninsula and its outlying islands as well as 5.5 million Koreans living in other parts of the world. The fact that all Koreans speak and write the same language has been a crucial factor in their strong national identity.
The contemporary culture in South Korea that we witness developed from the traditional culture of Korea. Since the 1948 division of Korea, it has developed separately from North Korea’s culture. Popular music is popular in South Korea and many Korean pop stars and groups are well known in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Karaoke is also common in South Korea. Korean television and especially the short form dramatic mini-series colloquially called "dramas" by Koreans have become extremely popular outside of Korea. The popularity of such Korean dramas has driven Korean stars to fame and has done much to boost the image and prestige of Korean popular culture.
The hanbok is the national South Korean costume and has been handed down in the same form for men and women for hundreds of years. Western wear entered Korea during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 and during the rapid industrialization in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the use of hanbok is declining and in fact, many hanbok lovers are campaigning to revitalize hanbok and have updated styles to better fit modern work environments. As for South Korean cuisine, rice remains the staple of most Koreans. However, many prefer Western-style food.
A TESOL/TEFL qualification is essential to gain employment in South Korea.
Schools value teachers that have recently qualified or are currently studying towards their TESOL certificate, and experience has taught us that the best jobs go to the best qualified teachers.
Although it is possible to obtain work in South Korea without any formal TESOL qualification, as a native English teacher you will be expected to know how to be a confident teacher. On the job training is extremely rare, and there will be no one to hold your hand.
Koreans want you to spend your money in their country and therefore may put restrictions on the amount of money you can transfer out. However, it is your money and there are plenty of resources that allow you to send it home if you wish. Your local bank and other well-known companies such as Western Union and MoneyGram are located all throughout Korea to provide the services that you need. Most banks offer services to transfer funds internationally for a small service fee (your home bank may also charge a fee to receive the money). However, many banks put a limit on the amount of money you can transfer.
The fitted sheets in Korea may not fit your bed. Moreover, sheet sets (fitted and flat) are very expensive here.
Mattresses are available here, but sizes can vary a little depending on where you’re coming from. Twin mattresses are generally ‘twin long’ so make sure you’re sheets are the same. Men, unless very tall, will have less trouble finding something that fit than women.
Koreans generally have small, narrow feet. Although you can have shoes made-to-measure for average Western-size feet that may not be possible if your shoe-size is outside the norm. If yours are not compatible with 220 volt wiring, you will need transformers. These are readily available and not expensive. Some housing for expats includes both 110 and 220-volt wiring.
South Korea is a popular tourist destination which never fails to attract people from around the world annually. People visit South Korea for various reasons; business, leisure. There are many places worth a visit in South Korea from gardens to parks to shopping centers and nightclubs. Below are some of the things you can engage in while in South Korea.
Visit the Buddhist temples
South Korea has literally thousands of picturesque and historic temples. The
vast majority of this was built in remote mountain areas. National parks have
been established around many of the temples, offering hiking and other outdoor
activities. Beopjusa Temple Complex in Songnisan National Park houses a 25m
standing Buddha. Haeinsa, in the mountains of Kayasan National Park, houses a
set of 13th-century printing blocks for the entire canon of Buddhist scriptures.
Other interesting temple complexes are Bulguksa, Jikjisa, Tongdosa (near Busan),
Hwaomsa (near Namwon) and Songgwangsa (near Gwangju).
Visit Busan
The second largest city of Korea, Busan is always enlisted among the
destinations for sightseeing in South Korea. It is one of the major port cities
of South Korea. Sightseeing in Busan includes the Eulsukdo Migratory Bird
Sanctuary, the Haeundae Beach, the Beomeosa Temple, the Busan Aquarium, the
Dongbaekdo Island, the United Nations Memorial Cemetery and Peace Park, the
Geumjeongsanseong Fortress, and the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.
Cheju Island
Cheju Island is known as the Hawaii of Korea with stunning views. You will be
tempted to shoot some beautiful landscapes here. It is generally expensive for
native Koreans to visit Cheju, as they try and limit the number of flights
there. But if you were to be arriving from elsewhere and have Cheju as part of
your package tour, you're probably getting a better deal for your money!
Of course, Tour Seoul
Seoul’s many attractions and excellent transport links make it the Republic of
Korea’s number one destination for foreign visitors and the logical place from
which to embark on a tour of the country. Seoul’s greatest attractions are
perhaps the royal residences, several of which are UNESCO-listed. Changdokkung
Palace is surrounded by the picturesque Secret Gardens, while the nearby
Chongmyo Shrine, set in wooded grounds, contains the ancestral tablets of the
Kings of the Joseon Dynasty. The Museum of Modern Arts is within the grounds of
Toksukung Palace, a former royal villa that presents an interesting contrast
with the surrounding skyscrapers. Kyongbokkung Palace, the most impressive of
the palaces, dates in part to 1394 and has the excellent National Folk Museum
and temporary displays of treasures from the fantastic collection of the
National Museum of Korea within its grounds. For absolutely fine city panoramas,
it is worth ascending Seoul Tower, which sits atop landscaped Namsan Mountain in
the heart of the city. The War Memorial and Museum on Yongsan-gu military base
traces the history of conflict on the Korean Peninsular. Seoul is a great place
to see performances of Korea’s vibrant performing arts.
Getting Around - in S. Korea
Getting around in Korea is fairly easy as the transportation system is very
smooth. There are two types of taxis in Korea regular taxis, which are
silver-grey in color and deluxe taxi, which is black in color. The regular taxis
will charge 1,600 won after boarding it and deluxe will cost around 4000 won.
For going from one city to the other it is best to take the bus or the train.
There are two typed of trains in Korea having KTX and normal line. KTX which
stands for Korea Train eXpress are super fast trains which are safe and
comfortable also. Buses are available from all cities is the main mode of
transport. These are very fast and run on time. There are two types of buses
express buses and inter-city buses.
Getting There to S. Korea
The best way of reaching South Korea is by air. There are numerous airlines,
which provide regular services to the number of international airports, which
are Jeju Airport, Gimhae Airport, Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Muan Airport
and Yangyang Airport. One can also go to Korea via the water route, as there are
regular ferry services to Incheon in South Korea from various ports of China.
There are also ferries from Japan, which comes to Busan in Sotuh Korea, and if
someone wants to come from Russia there is a ferry service to Gang-won-do via
Sokcho.