Comments on: Filipino Diplomat Caught Shoplifting in USFK PX

By: A Profile of USFK Camps in Seoul

A Profile of USFK Camps in Seoul — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:35:30 +0000

[...] The original plan was to have the base relocated by 2008. However, technical problems and South Korean governmental delay games pushed the date of the relocation back to 2010, then 2013 and then finally back to 2012. Now there is even attempts by the South Korean government to push the relocation all the way back to 2015. With such governmental delay games being played out it is easy to see that Yongsan Garrison is probably going to be around for many more years to come and I can think of quite a few people who will be happy about that. [...]

By: Ambassador Admits to Shoplifting Incident at Yongsan at ROK Drop

Ambassador Admits to Shoplifting Incident at Yongsan at ROK Drop — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 21:30:13 +0000

[...] the allegations that Filipino foreign diplomat was caught shopliftng at the US PX? Initially the Filipino Embassy in Seoul denied the allegations, but now they have [...]

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 01:30:29 +0000

Yongsan is a nice post with all the creature comforts of America, but you have to be ready to deal with living in a major megaopolis like Seoul every day. The air pollution is bad and the traffic is even worse. If you can deal with that while also acclimating to Korean culture than it might be a good assignment for you. Korea is not a bad assignment but it is not for everyone.

By: no1uno

no1uno — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 18:51:02 +0000

i’m a DAC and USFK is offering me a promotion and transfer to yongsan garrsion for 2 years, with full LQA.

i’m currently working for the amry in the mainland.

any thoughts.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:16:20 +0000

Me,

Soooooooooo funny! Hahahaha…. Seriously though, there are so many people in America today that cannot spell correctly. I visit many blogs and am astounded by the number of people who cannot spell even basic words or use your in place of you’re. It’s almost like an epidemic. That’s it. Just wanted to say that.

By: me

me — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 01:29:07 +0000

I think we shooud get past the hole speling issu

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:57:34 +0000

Hey GI,

No problem on the spelling correction. That’s sort of my thing.

As far as the money goes, you can be sure that they are getting hefty allowances while they are there in Seoul. Also, $1000 is a lot here but depending on how many mouths you are feeding it could stretch only so far.

With regard to the blackmarket, bottom line is you don’t see AAFES giving any of that money back after the goods are bought and paid for so why should USFK pay more than lip service to something that has, and will continue to, make lots of money for MWR? The answer, in my opinion after years of seeing just what you described, is that enforcement could be at least a little more stiff but even at that, the system would be overloaded with Korean civilians as well as GI’s who black market on a fairly regular basis. So, as long as there is a market in Korea for fairly cheap or goods unattainable but desired, the black market will thrive, just as prostitution has thrived in Seoul even after the “crackdown” of the last years… but that’s another story entirely.

By: GI Korea

GI Korea — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:54:24 +0000

Tim,

Thanks it has been corrected. The Wordpress spell check doesn’t check titles.

CPT Kim,

I’m sure Tim can attest to this since he lives in the Philippines but a $1,000 bucks a month goes a long way there. I’m sure he gets a big COLA upgrade being stationed in Korea. He is just trying to make a quick buck like all the ajummas and PX employees Me noted from the blackmarket system.

What gets me about the blackmarketers is that it is so obvious. How in the world does CID let them keep getting away with it? It seems like every 6 months they announce an arrest of some blackmarketers to show they are doing something while every day if you just stand at the gates of the camp or just outside the PX you can see obvious blackmarketing going on.

As far as why Koreans are working in the PX is a SOFA issue. The SOFA allows them to work there and when you hear the nonsense about the unfair SOFA agreement remember that.

By: CPT KIM

CPT KIM — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:39:47 +0000

On related note, I once sponsored Philippine Air Force LTC at my job. He told me that his pay was about $1000 per month and which included his flight pay and housing allowance. I can not imagined how much these Pinoy diplmats make, but it might come close to what their AF O-5 makes. Of course there has to be some COLA for those who live in and around Itaewon area. I like to see what this RP diplomat’s alibi will be. “I ran out of money but I want to entertain with Kaoroke machine.”

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:27:26 +0000

GI,

Just being picky here but the correct spelling for the first word in the title of your article is Filipino… not Philippino. Just being a spelling freak!

Tim in Angeles sendzzzzzzzzzzzzz