(Un)Employment Insurance

Many countries have unemployment insurance, but the Korean unemployment insurance has benefits that are unique and unknown to most Expats.Employment Insurance Who Qualifies?In principle, all workers who work more than 60 hours per month are eligible for Employment Insurance.  There are exceptions for some manual labor industries (farming, fishing and forestry) if the company has less than four employees or if working for a construction c...

Looking for a cheap island getaway? Looking for a muddy beach? Love seafood? Seokmodo (석모도)  a small island to the west of Kangwondo, just might be the place for you. If you like mud, walking in mud, playing in mud, and pushing your friends down in the mud, you will love Minmeoru Beach (민머루해변), the only beach in Seokmodo. Our pension owner who was afraid we couldn’t understand his Korean when he said ‘beach,&r...

No really, I don't . . . Oh, so that's what it looks like. . .

Living in a different country brings many different experiences - some challenging and frustrating, others hilarious and life lessons.  In my travels, flexibility and a sense of humor have been valuable tools.  An appointment with an English speaking gynecologist in Seoul recently reminded me how valuable these tools are.  I made an appointment with a gynecologist that a friend recommended, a female doctor who caters to foreign...

There has been a lot of talk in Korea lately about the safety of U.S. Beef. Following is information that we hope will answer some of the questions you may have and also that will help you answer questions some of your friends and colleagues may have. Questions and Answers 1. Why is Korea allowing U.S. beef from cattle of all ages to be imported?In May 2007, the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) classified the United States as a controll...

New NANTA Theater Opens on Jeju Island on 18 April

As of Friday 18 April, residents and visitors on Jeju Island will get to enjoy regular performances of the ever popular NANTA (Cookin'). And you can get 30% off the regular ticket prices for performances in this and the other two permanent NANTA locations: Gangbuk (near the Canadian Embassy) and Gangnam just by mentioning Korea4Expats.com.NANTA is a comic musical non-verbal performance derived from the traditional Korean instrumental...

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has over the past several months seen an increase in the number of drug arrest cases of Americans in South Korea.  While I cannot attribute this rise to any one factor, I would like to use this forum to remind Americans of a few things they should keep in mind when they are visiting or working in South Korea.  While in a foreign country, foreigners are of course subject to that country's laws and regula...

Kindermusik is a revolutionary program based on the observation that music is a powerful stimulant for children's learning—and lots of fun, too! The classes are based in the belief that every child is musical and that parents are children's most important teachers. That's why the c...

What is Thai massage?Traditional Thai massage has a 2,500 year history of therapeutic healing which makes recipients feel more balanced physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The massage incorporates yoga style positions, acupressure and reflexology points, along with techniques of gent...

Back in April this year, Cotton USA announced a hanbok design contest for expats. Korea4Expats posted the information in our What’s Going On section, which is where some of the participants found out about this unique opportunity. Two of the contestants, Valerie P...

When you are in love with someone, there is this energy that you share that almost compounds and bounces off one another- almost like a reflection.  There’s an energy of sorts that, when you are together, seemingly fills a room.  A picture says so much.&...