Filipinos in HK hit Korean retaliation

**jpdm** · July 20th, 2007 11:06 PM

The Korean juggernaut---vehicles (Kia and Hyundai), electronics (Samsung), phones (Samsung and LG), ships and shipbuilding (Hanjin) and there telenovelas---indicators of a dynamic, progressive and powerful Industrialized Korea--is starting to throw her weight around specially in our poor and wretched country. Can be resist them? Are we Pinoys again becoming the doormat of Asia?

Filipinos in HK hit Korean retaliation By Michael Caber
A FILIPINO migrant group based in Hong Kong denounced the South Korean Embassy for threatening to retaliate against undocumented Filipinos in Korea should the government fail to resolve the harassment and extortion complaints of some Korean businessmen.
Dolores Balladares, chairman of the United Filipinos in Hong Kong, said the embassy’s threat was “irrational and unjust” because Filipino workers in Korea, numbering about 15,000, should not be punished for the wrongdoing of corrupt and irresponsible Philippine government officials.
“We call on the South Korean government to use diplomatic ways to resolve the issue with their counterpart in Manila,” she said as the group called on the government to investigate, prosecute and punish those who are allegedly harassing and extorting money from Korean and other foreign businessmen.
The group made the call after Korean Consul General Hong Sung Mog threatened to take action against Filipino workers should the Philippine government fail to resolve the businessmen’s complaints, but the embassy resumed the issuance of working visa to Filipinos on Thursday following a meeting with immigration officials on Wednesday.
Hong also said he communicated the results of his meeting to the South Korean community here. “They are known to every important Korean businessman here and the panic is gone. The situation is going back to normal,” Hong said.
Hong refused to disclose what was agreed upon during the meeting with the immigration chief and other officials.
The South Korean Embassy issues around 200 visas every day. There are about 70,000 Filipinos working and living in Korea, 6,000 of whom are permanent residents. About 50,000 Filipinos are properly documented but some 14,000 work there illegally.
This how Korea conduct her "diplomatic relationship" with the Philippines. This how they see the Philippines and how they can easily blackmail us..
This is a sign/projection of an aggressive brand of modern Korean nationalism!!!

Because we hate nationalism! We hate Filipino nationalists!

**oldblue** · July 20th, 2007 11:24 PM

who started it?

**Jun aka Pekto** · July 20th, 2007 11:51 PM

Just trying to be neutral here.......

What is the punishment the Koreans are threatening the undocumented Pinoys with? Deportation? If that's the case, they should've done that in the first place because it's unfair to the other Pinoys who are there legally.

If it's jail time for the illegals, then I can see validation of concern by the the Pinoy group in HK.
As for retaliation against those Pinoys who are in Korea legally, I don't see any mention of retaliation against them. So I think the Koreans are acting within their bounds.

If they want to enforce the rules in their country, that's their perogative. As for the Koreans being "mighty" economically, it seems like they earned it.

Of course, that's my 2 cents for what was presented so far and may change as more things become clearer.

**empy** · July 21st, 2007 05:45 AM

this should be a fun thread :popcorn:

**CVT** · July 21st, 2007 07:03 AM

IMO, for as long as a country acts within the bounds of its legal rights, then there should be no issue there...

3303:shocked:

**metatron** · July 21st, 2007 08:08 AM

It's a purely retaliatory move from the South Koreans. they started threatening to go after illegal filipino immigrants/workers in sokor only after the current philippine immigration chief mentioned sanctions against the 50k+ illegal koreans currently living and doing business in the philippines.

**boybi** · July 21st, 2007 08:18 AM

There's nothing wrong with doing the right actions against undocumented/illegally staying Pinoys in SoKor. And there's also nothing wrong with taking legal actions against illegally staying Koreans here in the Phils.

**uls** · July 21st, 2007 09:08 AM

Tit for tat yan. That's what countries do.

Like when the US banned China food products, China also rejected some US food/supplement products.

Like when the UK expelled Russian diplomats, Russia also expelled UK diplomats.

S.Korea had to do something to protect its citizens.

What S.Korea did was to get the attention of the Phil. govt.

Obviously the writer of that article has to do some mind stretching. Kasing kitid ng iskinita POV niya.

----------------------------------------------

Ung mga writer na ganyan dapat hindi naging writer. Mag travel sya muna around the world para lumawak utak nya... then tsaka sya maging writer.

**Jun aka Pekto** · July 21st, 2007 09:32 AM

If there are 50k undocumented Koreans in the Philippines, then the Philippines should throw them out of the country. But, I didn't see 50k Koreans in the Philippines let alone 50k undocumented ones mentioned by the thread starter. Are there other articles that shed light on the actual numbers of Koreans in the Philippines both legally and illegally?

I lived in Korea for over a year and from what I can remember about its people and government..... As a minimum, they go by the book. By that I mean whatever paperwork I have they're handling will get done and on time. But, they're also willing to accept favors if I need to expedite matters. Compare that to the Philippines where it may be delay after delay unless I put out under the table.

I'm not sure if I see the big picture due to a lack of specifics. But, I can take a guess that all these happened because the Philippine government is dragging its feet on something. After all, how can 15k Pinoys be illegally in Korea unless there's a passport/visa scam in the Philippines? They would have to have those before going to Korea. If the Philippine government isn't doing enough to stamp out such scams then they'll be the guilty party. But guess who ultimately pays the price? The poor sap who's in Korea illegally.

**metatron** · July 21st, 2007 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by boybi

There's nothing wrong with doing the right actions against undocumented/illegally staying Pinoys in SoKor. And there's also nothing wrong with taking legal actions against illegally staying Koreans here in the Phils.

if sokor really wanted to rid itself of illegal pinoy workers, it could've done so even before the philippine government's proposed crackdown on illegal koreans. and they just had to up the ante by refusing to issue visas to filipinos wanting to legally work in korea.

but you're right. there certainly is nothing wrong with using legal spat as a diplomatic counteroffensive.