The Korean National Police have put out there first ever crime prevention guide for foreigners residing in Korea.
Unfortunately, reports NoCutNews, it has sparked controversy by making Korea look like a “paradise for criminals” (or any American city. Take your pick).
The pamphlet, which was published in English, Japanese and Chinese, gave nine tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of crime during your stay in Korea.
Some of the tips are simply common-sense suggestions and observations, like, “Call 112 in case of emergency,” “Over-drinking is a cause of accidents and crime,” and, “Get in the back seat when you take a taxi.”
But if you take a good look at the pamphlet, says the paper, you can come away thinking Korea was a festering cesspool of crime.
It advises readers to avoid going out at night, and when returning home, have your family come out to meet you.
Avoid secluded roads, and don’t walk them alone.
Look for suspicious individuals when you park your car, and carry self-defense objects (like mace, etc.) in your bag.
Install bars on your windows to keep criminals out.
And my personal favorite: Don’t get on the elevator with strangers, and make it a habit to stand next to the emergency bell. Oh, and don’t turn your back to other elevator passengers.
And when delivery people come to your home, call the delivery company and confirm their identities.
Christ. You’d think you’d be better off relocating to Fallujah.
The National Police Agency said it made the pamphlet because crimes against foreigners have been on the rise recently (funny, I didn’t know that. Wonder how much is barbarian-on-barbarian crime?). It added that it plans to distribute some 20,000 copies to foreign embassies and foreign groups in Korea. Many, however, feel that with 750,000 foreigners residing in Korea, the pamphlet might be overkill, or even worse, the police tarnishing their own excellent work in maintaining law and order in the Republic of Korea.
16 Comments
And by “excellent work,” you obviously mean non-enforcement of the laws. Who knew that the solution to a lawful and orderly society is to simply avoid enforcing any laws?
If only my boss took the same view:
“Iheartblueballs, your strict policy of not working has proven to be excellent work. Keep up the lack of effort!”
While Korea is quite safe in terms of violent crime — more so than *many* other countries — there is an ever-increasing lack of law enforcement that has slowly gotten worse since my tenure here (1998). Perhaps instead of enforcing many of the laws relating to illegal street advertising, burning garbage in Seoul, running red lights, illegal parking, blackmail, fraud, etc. it might actually be more effective in Korean society to focus upon social education and awareness of these issues and how the offenders of such are bums who should be shunned. An increased social consensus and awareness of such might help discourage such more than the feeble attempts to control it through modern law enforcement methods — methods which don’t seem to fit Korean society neatly in many instances.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with Curzon the other night. One of his friends went to the police station in Roppongi (Tokyo), asking where he could find a coin locker for his bag.
The cop said: “Don’t do it. Your bag will be stolen.”
“Um, that’s why I want to lock it up.”
“No, I mean your bag will be stolen.”
Personally, I have yet to lose my bag in a coin locker there. I have also yet to figure out why everyone thinks certain neighborhoods are “dangerous” when the main danger seems to be drinking yourself to death.
As a former longtime resident, I think the pamphlet is helpful and appropriate. Overall, Korea is safer than the US, but property crime and rapes are common. I personally knew of several people whose apartments and homes were broken into. I myself had a possible burlar posing as a repairperson try to gain access to my apartment. I called the landlord and verified that the visitor had not been sent by him. A former colleague was raped during a home invasion. The intruder had gained access by breaking a window.
Oops, that’s “burglar.”
R.Elgin really hit on how to attack the root cause of all the misdemeanors that bring down the quality of life for Koreans and are part of the larger disregard for the rule of law.
But Korea got nothin’ on L.A., where my car(s) were broken into more times than I can remember, or Oakland where I lived earlier–the national murder rate is around 5 per 100,000 people, and in Oakland it’s about 20 per 100,000.
Doesn’t white collar crime seem more prevelant in Korea anyway?
i don’t think it’s overkill. Seems alright with me.
just wondering, Could anyone answer these 2 questions?
Do they still have 113 as a call to report North Korean spies? 112 was for police. 119 for fire, ambulance, I think. 119 coming from US 911, unless there’s a similar system in Japan that I am unaware of.
Do US citizens working in South Korea pay an income tax both to US and South Korea? If so, what’s the %?
Thanks.
By the way, I tip my hat to Curzon for being civil.
wjk–I seem to remember a few decals up on the subway about dialing 113 to report spies, don’t know if those are old or if the system still operates. Based on how useless the police are in Korea in general, calling the number might be an exercise in futility anyway.
Americans working overseas don’t pay tax on earnings up to $80,000. There are local taxes (e.g. sales tax) but some of that is refunded.
Glad to see you’ve chilled after the earlier post I won’t reference by name
You know LA is a natural attractact to crime. But if you check the rest of the USA, it’s nothing like that. And if a crime does happen, someone solves it or attempts to solve it.. Big difference than Korea, where crime is ignored, why would a police man do his job and then look bad?? Like the serial rapist in Pusan, went through 72 women before he was caught, or ran out of women. Or how about the serial rapist/murder that was never caught because the Korean cops said the women ask for it?? Just saw the documentary on it. It happend in the late 1980’s and made the Keystone cops look intelligent. Nope after living overseas and seeing the incompentence of various police agencies, I LOVE THE USA, crime or no crime. If you think living overseas is safer, well, you’ll need that false comforting thought when you get screwed and the cops do nothing. Heres a thought, someone hits you with their car. Its a no brainer, their fault. After half an hour the cops showd up, note the police station was only a 5 min walk away. Their response, well if you American GI not here, you would’nt have been hit, and they didnt get a ticket.
Theres plenty of other examples, but, I’ll let you head in the sand ostrichs continue thinking you’re safe.
wjk,
I have heard that if you have spent less than 14 (or is it 21) days in the U.S. than you do not have to pay tax. I do not know if this is true if you get paid by the U.S. employer.
And, if don’t have to pay the Federal tax than you usually do not pay any State tax either.
thank you, michael and baduk.
This was in today’s paper.
“충남 천안경찰서는 1일 귀가하는 여성을 성폭행하고 돈을 빼앗은 혐의(강도강간)로 구모(26.택시기사)씨에 대해 구속영장을 신청했다.
경찰에 따르면 구씨는 지난 31일 오전 2시50분께 집으로 가기 위해 택시를 탄 A(30.주부)씨를 마구 때려 기절시킨 뒤 천안시 성남면 화성리 야산으로 끌고가 성폭행하고 현금 9천원을 빼앗은 혐의를 받고 있다. (천안=연합뉴스)”
Chungnam police requested arrest warrant for Mr.Goo(26,taxi driver) for charges of rape and robbery. According to police, he beat Mrs. A(30,housewife), who got on the taxi at 2:50 AM to return home, senseless till she passed out. He took her to a mountain near ChunAn, raped her and took $9 in cash.
You got to watch out for these taxi drivers. Some of them just lose it. Especially in the wee hours of the morning. At least in this case, he did not kill her and bury her in the mountain side. A New York taxi driver would have.
Actually, baduk, in the U.S. it’s the taxi driver who is in danger from his passenger, not vice versa.
I would have thought you’d lived in the U.S. long enough to know that.
And, of course, Korean child murderers have been known to bury their victims’ bodies in the mountains.
http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq13-7.html
A friend of mine jumped out of a moving taxi on the way to the mountains Saturday night. It’s probably safer to hitchhike.
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[...] Robert in The Marmot’s Hole questions whether Korea is as dangerous as the Korean National Police’s new crime prevention guide for foreigners makes it out to be. “The National Police Agency said it made the pamphlet because crimes against foreigners have been on the rise recently (funny, I didn’t know that. Wonder how much is barbarian-on-barbarian crime?).” [...]