Is it Safe to Visit South Korea Now with my Family?
Mar 8th, 2009, 06:03 PM
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Is it Safe to Visit South Korea Now with my Family?
My husband,2 young children and I have tickets to go to South Korea next week (May16) on vacation. I must admit I am a little nervous given the latest threats from North Korea. I just read that N. Korea has warned commercial airlines not to go anywhere near its air space since the country can't guarantee their safety.
Also, tomorrow begins 12 days of joint military exercises between the American troups stationed in S. Korea and the S. Korean army.
We are Americans and will stand out in a crowd.
Would you go now?
Also, tomorrow begins 12 days of joint military exercises between the American troups stationed in S. Korea and the S. Korean army.
We are Americans and will stand out in a crowd.
Would you go now?
Mar 9th, 2009, 09:55 AM
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My son also lives in Korea (hi Hester!)and says it is all saber rattling. The general opinion is that No Korea is trying to get attention from Obama.
Don't worry about standing out in a crowd. The South Koreans don't dislike Americans and it's not like there are North Korean terrorists loose in So Korea.
Enjoy your visit!
Don't worry about standing out in a crowd. The South Koreans don't dislike Americans and it's not like there are North Korean terrorists loose in So Korea.
Enjoy your visit!
May 27th, 2009, 03:39 AM
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These replies were written in March - do the parents of kids teaching over there still feel okay - I'm more concerned this time - it seems now like more than sabre rattling. And my son, being my son, hasn't responded to my e-mails.
May 27th, 2009, 10:19 AM
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Sally,
Our sons have more in common than teaching English in Korea...mine also ignores my e-mails!
My son has not mentioned anything about the No. Koreans but he did send me this link regarding English teachers quarantined for swine flu concerns.
http://underquarantine.tumblr.com/
It is pretty interesting and I am suprised there is no mention of it in our news.
Our sons have more in common than teaching English in Korea...mine also ignores my e-mails!
My son has not mentioned anything about the No. Koreans but he did send me this link regarding English teachers quarantined for swine flu concerns.
http://underquarantine.tumblr.com/
It is pretty interesting and I am suprised there is no mention of it in our news.
May 27th, 2009, 05:46 PM
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Gee, I hadn't read anything like that either.
Well, since I posted this morning, son's father tells me he's heard from him and the news is not good - his latest school hasn't paid them. Maybe he was trying to save me from worrying - as if!
You may recall, he was fired just before the end of his last contract so no bonus or airfare home and now he seems to have picked the wrong school/agency again.
I suppose I can expect him back here with me soon.
Well, since I posted this morning, son's father tells me he's heard from him and the news is not good - his latest school hasn't paid them. Maybe he was trying to save me from worrying - as if!
You may recall, he was fired just before the end of his last contract so no bonus or airfare home and now he seems to have picked the wrong school/agency again.
I suppose I can expect him back here with me soon.
May 27th, 2009, 09:45 PM
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Sally,
I just e-mailed DS and asked if I needed to be worried at the latest developements. He responded:
"I wouldn't worry about it too much. They've technically declared war on us because the South joined the Proliferation Security Initative but we were technically still at war before that. It's likely that there may be some action along the DMZ or in the waters around Korea but that's nothing new, it's happened before."
He is pretty nonchalant, but now I am concerned that he refers to Korea as "us!" He' been there too long!
I just e-mailed DS and asked if I needed to be worried at the latest developements. He responded:
"I wouldn't worry about it too much. They've technically declared war on us because the South joined the Proliferation Security Initative but we were technically still at war before that. It's likely that there may be some action along the DMZ or in the waters around Korea but that's nothing new, it's happened before."
He is pretty nonchalant, but now I am concerned that he refers to Korea as "us!" He' been there too long!
May 28th, 2009, 06:29 AM
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we returned last year from living in Seoul for 2 years. I felt safe and never worried, though there were rumblings of the same kind that are happening now. Basically NK always always does these kind of tests and threats when the joint military exercises are going on. There are thousands of troops and families living in the peninsula. If these people were in legitimate danger, they would be evacuated and quickly. People in Seoul are used to living on the edge and are very effective in dealing with it. It is a very long trip - enjoy.
Jun 1st, 2009, 03:04 PM
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I got home from visiting my son in Incheon South Korea at the end of April. Everything was fine there and not a mention of the trouble we hear about with North Korea.
I asked my son yesterday if we should be concerned for him with what we are hearing in the news the last week or so with North Korea. He told me that the South Korean people are more upset with the suicide death of South Korea’s former leader. He is not all concerned.
Sally, is your son working for a hagwon? Joe (my son) had some trouble the first time he taught in South Korea getting all of his pay, but they finally came through.
Exciting news for us, our son became engaged to his girlfriend. We have met her both times we have gone to Korea and talk to her via webcam all the time. She is a lovely girl and we are excited to have her join our family. Now they just have to figure out how to get her a visa to move here.
I asked my son yesterday if we should be concerned for him with what we are hearing in the news the last week or so with North Korea. He told me that the South Korean people are more upset with the suicide death of South Korea’s former leader. He is not all concerned.
Sally, is your son working for a hagwon? Joe (my son) had some trouble the first time he taught in South Korea getting all of his pay, but they finally came through.
Exciting news for us, our son became engaged to his girlfriend. We have met her both times we have gone to Korea and talk to her via webcam all the time. She is a lovely girl and we are excited to have her join our family. Now they just have to figure out how to get her a visa to move here.
Jun 2nd, 2009, 02:37 PM
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Hester,
Congratulations! I think I may be celebrating the same in the near future!
There is another poster asking about Incheon sightseeing and shopping and i thought you might have some input as i thought that is where your son was living.
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...ightseeing.cfm
Congratulations! I think I may be celebrating the same in the near future!
There is another poster asking about Incheon sightseeing and shopping and i thought you might have some input as i thought that is where your son was living.
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...ightseeing.cfm
Jun 9th, 2009, 04:28 AM
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Congratulations, tlangenbach. My son is married to a Thai woman who we've yet to meet.
Sadly, I have to report that my son's latest school has closed...I got this latest info from his brother via his father.
Eldest son lost his job in February, I lost mine in April and now this...it's a crap year for us.
Sadly, I have to report that my son's latest school has closed...I got this latest info from his brother via his father.
Eldest son lost his job in February, I lost mine in April and now this...it's a crap year for us.
Jun 14th, 2009, 07:01 PM
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Hi guys,
So I saw up farther in the thread somebody said something about activity around the DMZ. Im applying for a trip to Seoul this summer with day trips to different areas, including the DMZ. Should I be worried?
So I saw up farther in the thread somebody said something about activity around the DMZ. Im applying for a trip to Seoul this summer with day trips to different areas, including the DMZ. Should I be worried?
Jun 15th, 2009, 06:21 AM
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I'm hoping to do a day trip to the DMZ this summer as well when I'm in Seoul in August. I've been trying for several days now to access the USO site (www.uso.org/korea) to check for more info on the tour and if there are still spots available when we are there, but I get an error that says "Service Unavailable". Am I trying to access the wrong site? Does this have anything to do with activity over there?
Jun 15th, 2009, 04:45 PM
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lmschmale,
I wonder if they have stopped the tours right now do to "activity" around the DMZ...
Fyi for anyone interested. I know I like to read books about the country I am going to visit so I thought I would mention this. I just started reading an interesting book called "Aquariums of Pyongyang" that is an account of a young man whose family was sent to a prison camp in No Korea for ten years. It got good reviews on Amazon. With everything going on right now I am finding it a timely read. Makes me fearful for the plight of the two American journalist sentenced to a labor camp.
I wonder if they have stopped the tours right now do to "activity" around the DMZ...
Fyi for anyone interested. I know I like to read books about the country I am going to visit so I thought I would mention this. I just started reading an interesting book called "Aquariums of Pyongyang" that is an account of a young man whose family was sent to a prison camp in No Korea for ten years. It got good reviews on Amazon. With everything going on right now I am finding it a timely read. Makes me fearful for the plight of the two American journalist sentenced to a labor camp.
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