[LETTER TO THE EDITOR] Korean government`s incompetence

I have taught English in Korea for three years and worked for the same school for almost two years. In the last few weeks the head of our English program has informed me that the Ministry of Education believe my degree to be "suspicious." I hold an honors degree from a respected university in the United Kingdom. The problem appears to be that my degree parchment is written in Latin -- a common practice among older universities.

I was asked to log on to my university website to prove that I graduated from there. My university (along with most others) offers no such service. I asked why I was being asked to do this since I have satisfied immigration of my credentials for three years running. I was told that the education office "don`t trust" the immigration office. Having supplied my original degree certificate and transcripts in a sealed envelope I am at a loss as to what else I can do to verify the authenticity of my degree.

I have spoken to several Korean friends and colleagues about this and the typical response has been to the effect that "the Korean government is incompetent." I wonder why such an energetic country which strives for dynamism and international prestige labors under such an inept and intransigent bureaucracy which appears to be deeply suspicious of anything "foreign."

Why should I have to verify my credentials to more than one government agency?

Why should I have to submit the same documents year in year out?

Are the people staffing the education office so unworldly that a degree from an English speaking country written in Latin confuses them?

With the new E-2 visa regulations becoming law soon, one has to wonder whether the Korean government is able to administer them correctly and efficiently.

Incidents such as this make Korea`s claim to be the "Hub of Asia" and "Sparkling" seem ridiculous.



By Antony Boyd