AAK! Wiki: Non-Teaching Jobs in Korea?

Dear Korean,

I am extremely interested in living and working in Korea but the only type of job listings I can find are teaching positions. Teaching wouldn't necessarily be a terrible occupation but I am wondering if it is possible to secure a job in any other field.

Wrenn

Dear Korean,

I see you've discussed jobs as an English teacher many times, but I was wondering, could you possibly enlighten me on the job prospects of a foreigner in Korea who is not looking to teach English? I was looking to (hopefully) live and work in Korea, but teaching really isn't my thing, and I was curious as to what your advice would be going about securing a job and eventually settling in.

Jack

In order for a non-Korean to have a job in Korea, s/he should have a particular advantage over the locals. Obviously, this includes English teaching, because many non-Koreans are essentially born with English speaking skills. It also includes low-paying jobs with harsh working conditions like a deckhand on a fishing boat, because many non-Koreans have a greater willingness to work at those jobs. But readers of this blog probably are not looking to be a deckhand.

In general, a non-Korean had better have a specialized skill to get a job in Korea, like a law degree or sophisticated engineering knowledge. Beyond this, you would be straight up competing with local Koreans on their terms. For this, language barrier alone might be too high to actually break through.

But then again, the Korean has never been a foreigner looking for a job in Korea. So have your say, readers. Do you have a non-teaching job in Korea? What is it, and how did you get that job?

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.