tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post2126971621024745709..comments2024-02-23T23:53:54.842+09:00Comments on Gusts Of Popular Feeling: Choi Young-hee's 3 bills regarding native English teachersmatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10296009437690229938noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-79178071905218253002009-09-07T23:08:59.410+09:002009-09-07T23:08:59.410+09:00Yes, we are getting checked now, but such checks a...Yes, we are getting checked now, but such checks are not LAW. These bills are to resolve that little legal quibble.Darth Babaganooshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292625818454308095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-83982683150168218762009-09-02T06:20:59.033+09:002009-09-02T06:20:59.033+09:00The policy memo (2007.11) which led to criminal re...The policy memo (2007.11) which led to criminal record checks, drug checks and HIV checks (with marijuana tests being removed in Marhc 2008) never really had legal weight, as Benjamin Wagner pointed out in his report to the NHRCK. While immigration argued (<a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2009/08/160_40819.html" rel="nofollow">in the press</a> for example) that the memo had all the legal authority they required, the fact that they took what was in the policy memo and released it as a "regulation" (시행규칙) on April 3, 2009 suggests that they believed more legal authority was needed. Wagner told me that this "regulation" still doesn't have the authority required to overcome the rights being infringed upon and other laws already in place (such as laws pertaining to immigration and <a href="http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2009/08/hiv-tests-and-e-2-visa-regulations.html" rel="nofollow">AIDS</a>), and that an Act from the National Assembly is still needed.<br /><br />Four Bills have been submitted to the National Assembly in the last year. Bill No. 3356, introduced on Dec. 30, 2008 aims to amend the immigration control act and the purpose statement reads: "Nowadays, the number of foreigners working in Korea is increasing, but a good many have previous convictions for drug and sexual crimes or carry infectious diseases. As we require measures to deal with the threat they pose to our society's public order and our people's health, we herein prepare the legal basis to require that foreigners applying for an employment visa submit a criminal background check and a health certificate." [Quoted from <a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/08/181_41565.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.]<br /><br />As I mentioned <a href="http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2009/06/just-how-much-influence-does-anti.html" rel="nofollow">before</a>, a comment using language from an article written by Lee Eun-ung of Anti-English Spectrum has been placed in the official record of this Bill. The three most recent bills, from June, are mentioned above and aim to amend the Education act, re-introducing tests for marijuana, and declaring a need for Korean criminal record checks. And, as mentioned above, Lee Eun-ung has left his fingerprints on these bills as well...matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10296009437690229938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-30945224102144218152009-09-02T05:19:30.008+09:002009-09-02T05:19:30.008+09:00It sounds like they are trying to expand the backg...It sounds like they are trying to expand the background check to one in Korea - though I find it a bit surprising if Korean immigration didn't already do this. Either way, it seems more like opportunism from what I've read (But then again, what do I know?)Shin Guhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08386292755162394889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-68630719724670442782009-09-01T21:48:00.313+09:002009-09-01T21:48:00.313+09:00I thought the same thing...don't we already ge...I thought the same thing...don't we already get drug and HIV tested, as well as criminal record checks?Bredahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06858926936750868163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12946845.post-3304629562234513582009-09-01T21:06:40.099+09:002009-09-01T21:06:40.099+09:00An excellent post as usual - I'm just trying t...An excellent post as usual - I'm just trying to figure out what the news is here. We're already being drug tested and education / diplomas verified - whether that's been done on some official addendum or a court order as of now, making this law just sounds like a formality of something already done. Or am I missing something?<br /><br />Since the bills have merely been proposed, how do these things find their way to a committee, a vote, a signing? I'll admit to my lack of knowledge on how a bill becomes law here in Korea...Chris in South Koreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07114300133329984235noreply@blogger.com