International Law

Book Early to Avoid Disappointment

Not being able to enroll your kids in an English-speaking school is a worry for every parent, but this story in the JoongAng Ilbo’s English edition made me smile:

Korea’s notorious lack of convenient services for foreigners has claimed another. The latest victim in the long list of displeased expatriates is none other than the former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

The problem, which has traveled by word-of-mouth among foreign business professionals here, began when Jeffrey Jones, 56, a current attorney at Kim and Chang, attempted to enroll his two sons at a popular local foreign school.

As one of the most influential business professionals in Korea, he didn’t think he’d have any problems gaining his sons a spot in school. After all, he was the first foreigner to work on a committee for deregulation of the Korean government, and he’s been credited for attracting a large amount of foreign investment here.

But then the school put Jones’ sons on a waiting list, saying they currently had no openings for new students. Jones was not available for comment at press time.

Why am I pleased to see this? It doesn’t have anything to do with the subject of the story, but I am a populist. The fact that Jeffrey Jones is or is not a powerful figure—whether he’s “attracted a large amount of foreign investment” (and that voodoo power appears to be fading), or works for the Korean government—should be of no relevance to the admission of his children to a wait-listed foreign school. There are published rules and everyone on the list should get the same fair shake. That Jeff’s kids got stiffed indicates that whichever school stiffed them is concerned about such fairness. Since this sort of egalitarianism is not how Korea usually operates, it’s heartening news.

However, there is the other question, which is Why on Earth is this in the newspaper? My kid got blanked by Seoul Foreign School at kindergarten time, and we simply enrolled at Early Childhood Learning Centre, a fine Montessori school. But for some reason, we didn’t make the paper. Now, my kids are enrolled at Yongsan International School and we love it there. That’s not news either.

For those of you coming to Seoul, note this lesson: No matter who you are, contact the admissions offices of the foreign schools as early as possible, and get onto the waiting list. 

Full post as published by Korea Law Blog on May 08, 2008 (boomark / email).