Language instructors highlight job insecurity, exploitation

The Korea Times 22 February 2019

Even though Korean language programmes for exchange students and foreign residents have boomed in recent years with the number of foreign students coming to the country for language programmes surpassing 40,000 last year, instructors who teach these certified classes at prestigious universities still lack basic job security, fearing sudden dismissal or a cut to assigned class hours whenever they renew their temporary contracts, writes Lee Suh-yoon for The Korea Times.

Kim, a Korean language teacher in her 40s at the Seoul National University Language Education Institute (SNULEI), has worked there for nine years on a series of temporary contracts. Kim and dozens of other instructors who have taught Korean language programmes at SNULEI for many years – to around 3,200 foreign students annually – must renew their contracts with the university every six months and are not allowed to hold part-time teaching posts elsewhere.

Kim says the instructors have been edged recently toward even greater financial insecurity, as universities increasingly limit their weekly teaching hours to sidestep new regulations that force education institutions to switch temporary instructors who teach more than nine hours a week to permanent staff – coming into force in August.
Full report on The Korea Times site

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