US Envoy’s Wife Violated Work Law

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US Envoy’s Wife Violated Work Law
	[updated/related article] http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200609/kt2006091917275810440.htm By Park-Song-wu, Yoon Won-sup and Charles D. Sherman Staff Reporters Lisa Vershbow, a costume jewelry maker and thewife of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow, arrived inSeoul last year, bringing with her many pieces of her work. In arecreation room near the embassy residence's pool behind Toksu Palace,she soon set up a workshop, complete with a cozy[각주]안락한[/각주] fireplace. At diplomatic receptions she handed outattractive parchment[각주]면허증[/각주] name cards, identifying herself as a workingjewelry designer. Then in June, Mrs. Vershbow entered into anarrangement with the Sun Gallery in the fashionable art district ofInsa-dong. Over a two-week period, the gallery sold 20million won ($20,000) of Mrs. Vershbow's aluminum and plastic ornaments[각주]장신구[/각주]without apparent concern that while the ambassador's wife had aworkshop, she had no work permit in Korea. The gallery, after deducting[각주]빼다[/각주] value-added taxes[각주]부가가치세[/각주], split the revenue with Mrs. Vershbow. The sales raise the question of what differencethere is between Mrs. Vershbow and anyone else who comes to Korea andearns money without the government's authorization? Hundreds of illegal immigrants are rounded up[각주]체포되다[/각주]each year and deported. In 2005, the Justice Ministry identified 27,295people who were working in violation of their visa status. In an interview last week, Mrs. Vershbow saidthat before she exhibited her work at the gallery she checked withembassy staff. "They said, 'Fine,''' she said. ``Nobody saw a problem." Korean authorities look at it differently. ``Article[각주]조항[/각주] 20 of Immigration Control Act obligesfamily members of foreign diplomats in Korea to obtain a work permitbefore they begin any profitable activities not covered by theirdiplomatic status,'' said Kwak Jun-taek, an official of the KoreaImmigration Bureau[각주]한국이민국[/각주]. Diplomats' spouses normally are issued A-1 visas,the same as for the official envoy, but the visa does not allow them todo business or work to earn income. According to the law, dependents of the membersof a diplomatic mission who wish to work, must seek permission from theJustice Ministry, according to the immigration law. Apparently relying on the U.S. Embassy's view ofher activities, Mrs. Vershbow went ahead without asking for a permit.She said she ended up selling half of the approximately 130 items sheput on display at the gallery. Prices varied, but she said piecesnormally sold for between $300 and $500. In response to a related query from The KoreaTimes, the U.S. Embassy released a one-sentence statement: ``All U.S.Embassy spouses who work for profit outside of the USG (United StatesGovernment) are required to undertake the appropriate proceduresestablished by the ROK (Republic of Korea) Government to ensure thelegality of their work status and to report their income.'' U.S. and Korean officials say that underreciprocity[각주]상호관계[/각주] accords[각주]협의[/각주], the spouses of Korean diplomats sent to the UnitedStates must seek official permission to engage in commercial orincome-producing activity. ``With a capital 'S,' I was shocked,'' Mrs.Vershbow said, recalling her reaction to how well her jewelry sold. ``Iam suddenly dealing with questions myself that I never had to ask.'' While diplomats' spouses fall under Article 20statutes, what's less clear is whether the Korean government wouldregard Mrs. Vershbow's earnings of around $10,000 as a seriousviolation or ask her to account for the income for tax purposes. Manyillegal migrant workers consider 1 million won ($1,000) a monthattractive pay in Korea. Mrs. Vershbow, 53, says her dual identity as ajeweler and the wife of a career diplomat has often left her torn. Sherecognizes that her position as the wife of a high-profile envoy hasprovided advantages and access that other artists do not have. ``That's something I grapple with[각주](문제 등과) 씨름하다[/각주],'' she said.``I hate that part because I always wonder, would people still come ifI weren't the U.S. ambassador's wife?'' She argued in the interview that after the costof her materials and value-added taxes were deducted, her earnings fromthe gallery sales were small. ``Unlike a singer, I now need to gathermaterials to make pieces and to put out these for people to buy, andit's a large outlay[각주]경비[/각주] to do that,'' she said. ``Out of my half, it's allthe expenses. I don't ever count time. It's just sheer expenses.'' When it comes to paying taxes on her earnings,whether from lectures or teaching, done mostly in the United States, orfrom sales, Mrs. Vershbow said her U.S. tax filings reflect everythingshe earns. She also said she had not considered what taxesshe might be obligated to pay the Korean government, but she indicatedthat if she has to pay taxes in Korea, she intends to do so. ``I want to do absolutely the right thing,'' she said. In recognition that someone buying her work couldbe perceived as trying to gain favor[각주]호감을 얻다[/각주] in some way at the embassy, Mrs.Vershbow says she refuses to sell directly to potential customers. Shesaid selling through galleries allowed her to remain ignorant of whobought her jewelry. Among the guests at the Sun Gallery's exhibitionwas Yoo Soon-taek, the wife of Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon. Ms.Yoo, through a Foreign Ministry official, said she had not bought anyof Mrs. Vershbow's jewelry. In the light of the experience, which Mrs.Vershbow describes as ``embarrassing,'' she said she thinks it would begood to clarify the status of spouses who have non-embassy employmentas a way to help other dependents in foreign missions who may wish towork. ``I think it's important,'' she said. ``It helpsgeneral morale[각주]사기[/각주] of an embassy if more people are able to do what theyhave skills to do. It's very hard to expect somebody to pack up, moveto another country, give up their job and be thrilled about that.'' 09-18-2006 17:37

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gregoms

09-19-2006 05:38

It sounds like nothing will happen! In Korea, where status meanseverything, she will just get a slap on the wrist[각주]단지 명식 뿐인 벌[/각주], while some poorbastard[각주]불행한 사람[/각주] slaving away[각주]노예같이 뼈빠지게 일하다[/각주] to earn money so his/her family can eat would bethrown in jail and deported after having all their money taken away!Another episode from one of the world`s most corrupt[각주]타락한[/각주] economies!