Check list for expats leaving South Korea

 There are many things or issues which need to be taken care before your leave South Korea. The whole process might take at least two weeks or so. One should prepare in advance for getting the final clearance. I have made a checklist for the expats leaving Korea. Please see below:

• Experience certificate
• Reliving certificate from employer 
• Recommendation letter from the Senior
• Residence proof of your stay and duration.
•  Police verification from the nearest police station that you have no criminal records there.
•  Keep copies of Korean ID, Driving ID, Gas Bills, Electricity Bills.
• Translate all Korean documents to English and get attested from legal advisor.
•  Or get attested from govt officer preferably attested with seal.
• Withdraw national pension from National pension office National Pension
• Dispose off your car (if you have any)Scrap your car , Sell your car
• Convert Korean won to USD or Euros Money conversion
•  Close your Korean Bank Account (after withdrawing / transferring all your money)
•  Take your tax clearance certificate in Korea from National Tax Dept.Tax Office
• Collect your severance pay be leaving the bank account details of your home country Severance pay
• Apartment Rental contracts with heavy fixed deposits should be terminated
• Employment Insurance and Workers insurance may be collected which is a high amount of money. It is generally deducted every month from your salary and can be received at the end. But the rule may not be valid for all expats, it depends on your employment contract.Employment insurance
• Terminate your NHIC, National Health Insurance Cooperation.Health Insurance
• Clear all electricity, water etc bills.Electricity
• Inform immigration office and submit your alien card
• Cancel your credit card and mobile service
• Claim your Air-ticket and extra baggage charges from your employer (if mentioned in your contract)

 Give your comments or suggestions, if you want to add some more to do the list.

Good luck and Best Wishes!

Kojeblogger

Traditional dress of South Korea for Chuseok

The traditional Korean dresses are beautiful with vibrant colors.

The dress is considered a formal wear which is worn on special days like weddings, festivals (like Chuseok) etc. It's beautiful to see the families in their traditional clothing.

The design of hanbok are generally inspired from their historical tombs and historical paintings. The hanbok was an influence of multiple invasions in Korea.

HANBOK(for woman) =Jeogori(Top part)+ Chima(sleeveless one piece)

  

Jeogori

  

Chima



HANBOK(for Man) =Jeogori/Coat(Top part)+ Paji(Pants)

Paji

 

 Various accessories such as foot gear, jewelry, and head-dresses or hair pins completed the outfit.

The hanbok give a very elegant and decent look to Korean couples.

Also the Hanbok may be considered as the beautiful ceremonial robe.

The cultural dress is very comfortable with loose fittings. It is also called the costume of winds with the voluminous look, which retained air within. It depicts  as the symbol of the Korean culture and the cultural heritage which generally mesmerizes the non-Koreans.

I love the elegance of the dress.

Best regards,

Kojeblogger

Save yourself from Typhoon, South Korea 2012

The news and radio channels are announcing the residents and expats in Korea to cover the windows to avoid Typhoon damages.

SAVE YOURSELF BY COVERING THE WINDOWS

This will protect your glass windows and your home.
You might have the windows broken with the strong winds of the Typhoon.


Method I: Cover your windows with the newspaper

•  Take a Clean newspaper
•  Spray some water on the windows
• Stick the newspaper on the window

Protection from Typhoon

Method II Cross tape your windows to protect from Typhoon

• Use the scotch tape or any tape

• Paste it on the window in cross shape

Safety first!

regards,

kojeblogger

Preparation and Warning for Typhoon in South Korea

What is Typhoon? It is a type of Hurricane, Thunderstorm, Cyclone, powerful winds and abrupt strong rainfalls. The level of the Typhoon might vary. I have experienced different levels of Typhoon while living in South Korea but this time, it is expected to be a very strong one.
An intense Typhoon is with a well-defined circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher. The winds have great velocity and as they move ashore they sweep the ocean inward giving birth to torrential rains and  flooding.  
Higher the Intensity of the Typhoon higher is the destructiveness!

Latest Update of the Typhoon from Japan

Present Situation: Typhoon is approaching South Korea!!!!A powerful typhoon lashed the southern Japanese island of Okinawa and surrounding areas Sunday, injuring four people and cutting off power to about 57,000 households.
Weather officials had warned that Typhoon Bolaven
The most powerful typhoon in a decade is set to hit the Korean Peninsula early this week, weather forecasters said Sunday, prompting authorities to brace for a worst-case scenario.

Predictions for the consequences in South Korea:

• Tree might fall, small plants get damaged
• Blackouts and no electricity for few days
• No water supply
• All grocery stores close down
• No restaurants are open
• Its a major close down
• Blocked roads

Preparation for the Typhoon:

• Keep your refrigerator to highest settings
• Store Water and buy drinking water
• Pack some food which does not need refrigeration
• Buy some candles, prepare some battery torch or falshlights
• Keep your first-aid kit ready
• Throw away all garbage stuff from home
• Find a safe place for your pets
• Keep in track with the media through TV, radio etc for emergecy info
• Keep plenty of food for infants
• Fuel your vehicles
• Fix the broken door or windows
• Find the emergency evacuation places
• Keep the important documents handy
• Unplug the small appliance
• Charge the mobile, ipad, notebooks in advance
• Stay at home or any safe place

Just small preparations are needed. Hope things are fine and everyone is Safe.
May be the velocity of winds slow down while approaching South Korea.



Stay safe!!!!

love and prayers,
kojeblogger

Chuseok for expats in South Korea

Chuseok holidays start from Last week of September,(September 29 - October 1, 2012)
 Chuseok (추석), is the biggest festival of Korea.

It is called the Thanks giving day or also called the Harvest festival. The Koreans say prayers and thanks to their ancestors by offering food, or flowers to the ancestors graves.

The Korean families conduct ancestor's worships at their home and hometown.

In modern days, Korean family get-together and celebrate by cooking special foods  and playing games at home. Some Koreans visit the temples and offer prayers.

You can eat a lot of sweet dak(rice cake) at this time and also songpyeon.

RICE CAKE OF SOUTH KOREA

Top 5 Korean customs and traditions in Chuseok Holidays:

• Charye is the Ancestor memorial service which is performed by Korean families at homes.
• Beolcho is cleaning the dust around the grave
•  Seongmyo is visiting ancestral graves
• Ssireum is Korean wrestling
• Chuseokbim is the Korean dress, special for the festival



All the family is well-dressed in Korean traditional clothing's and offer prayers.The festival is a totally family affair. Hence Korean friends get busy with the preparations and celebrations.

Being an expat, Chuseok holidays can be boring as they are long holidays. I miss my home in this festive season. Most of the expats prefer visiting their home country in these holidays.

If you are staying in Korea in the Chuseok holidays, it might get boring as most of the shops & restaurants are closed and trains, buses etc all are overbooked. There are many traffic jams on the road, as Koreans are travelling to their home town. Even homeplus, Emart etc are closed for few days.

Good thing about Chuseok is that the Korean Govt. organizes several events and activities for Chuseok Holidays especially at the National Parks, National Museums and Korean folk villages, in order to promote Korean culture. They offer discounts for the foreigners to visit the National museums and parks. Also there are many Folk games, programs, and performances held at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Deoksugung Palace.

Last year, I was in Seoul for Chuseok 2011 and I really enjoyed the Korean traditional parade at Gyeongbokgung Palace. The palace is really magnificent and magnanimous. In chuseok time it was very beautifully decorated. See some glimpses of my visit:



Chuseok 2011 at Gyeongbokgung Palace

Also you can get information about the Chuseok events on korea4expats website. I have found the site has many good information for expats in Korea.
See the link below for more information about the events:
http://www.korea4expats.com/article-things-to-do-chuseok.html

Happy Chuseok in advance!
Enjoy!
kojeblogger