German man forces South Koreans to go on vacation

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

Lee Charm, born as Bernhardt Quandt, has to convince South Koreans to go on vacation

South Koreans are working too much. More than the rest of the world. Now, employer and goverment are trying to force workers to their luck - VACATION. Out of all people, someone who was born in the country of vacation-worldchampions has to help them now: Lee Charm, born in Germany, tourism minister of South Korea since 2010.


His mission is precarious. Lee Charm has to explain the good things about holidays to a country where over-working is courteous. Even the government in Seoul thinks that this is necessary, because South Koreans are working so much that its non-productive. They even work when they could in fact be on vacation.

South Koreans only take off 11 Days a year, and, most of the time, not even on the trot. Altogether they work 2256 hours a year, thats 800 hours more than a average worker in Germany works.

[...]

Lee was born as Bernhardt Quandt in Bad Kreuznach, 57 years ago. He came to Seoul in 1978, took on a korean name and the korean citizenship in 1986 and became a TV-star. Last year the government said: We need somebody to promote spare-time. Lee did it.

But Lee's fellow countrymen dont want to go on vacation!

They actually don't know what to do in their spare-time, are afraid to lose their jobs in their absence and rather take additional premium than days off.

And so, Lee tries to convince his fellow countrymen and says that you can enjoy your vacation 3 times: 1. when you plan it. 2. when you're on it. 3. when you think about it later. South Koreans are told to go on vacation for 2 Weeks on the trot now.

The government is trying to promote this for 2 years now. But it only works slowly, except for the Shinan Financial Group, a high street bank which already established vacations for their workers last year. Workers that still come to work can't do their job, the PCs are locked.

But South Korean Unions are against all the constraints. They say that people should go on vacation when they need it. "It's against the human rights if the government forces you to this.", says a spokesperson.

Source: www.bild.de/geld/wirtschaft/suedkorea/deutscher-verdonnert-suedkoreaner-zum-urlaub-machen-18940216.bild.html
Translation by me & partially by my friend, thank you! :)

first post on omona, hopefully i did everything right. i'm sorry if there are any mistakes in the text, i tried to translate it as good as possible eventhough english is not my first language.. in my opinion something like this should also exist for idols, most of them dont even have 11 days off.

Comments

[minyquai.livejournal.com]

Gotta love germany. I agree with him, too, tbh. But maybe that's my German laziness speaking. Huzzah!

[iheartomntd.livejournal.com]

Hes Definitely right. Maybe if they took life a bit easier the suicide rate wouldn't be so high.

[minyquai.livejournal.com]

yeeeeeeeeeees so true.

[hitme.livejournal.com]

true dat

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking the same; I would say a part of the problem is definitely work-related pressure..

[very-pinku.livejournal.com]

I'm part German...maybe that's why I like vacations? lol.
But anyway, taking time off is really important to continue a healthy working environment.
I feel the government or the company should come up with
fun ideas for vacations to want to take breaks occasionally.

And lack of rest means practically no family time and not enough time to improve their relationships with their partners.
Which is not good cause Korea's having a low birthrate...

[noneko.livejournal.com]

LOL. I like how the Unions are like "How DARE you give me paid vacation time!".

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

One of the things I won't ever understand about Koreans and Korea, then again I'm from Finland (according to 2007 stats we offer most paid vacation days in the world).

[crystalheng.livejournal.com]

I honestly admire Koreans a lot for their industriousness because I procrastinate way too much. I want to be as hard-working as them but I would still like to have my paid leave please, thank you :P

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

But their labour productivity rate is really shitty <-Putting lots of hours in doesn't mean it's all effective.

[monceri.livejournal.com]

yay germany. we sure are lazy :( but i hate it though.

[crowleyd545.livejournal.com]

this guy was my dad's professor when he was in college! :)

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

It may be the Spanish in me talking (professional procastinator, and all), but I can't really understand it. On the other hand, I quite admire how hard-working they are. But, please, people, some paid vacation hurt nobody!

[lil-rach-angel.livejournal.com]

I can get the paranoia about taking time off when it's pretty much been fed into you from birth and aided by the educational system. So, understandable that the unions are against it. Easy to see the tinfoil hat conspiracy over it being turned into just an easier way to fire someone.

Still, I'm rooting for them to get the message across that it's okay to take vacation. Especially when so many of those hours are just being in the building, surfing the Internet or playing minecraft because the boss is still there. That would just make me want to shout, "Go home!" if I was surrounded by it.

[lil-rach-angel.livejournal.com]

I really hate not having the edit button. Fingers got ahead of the brain.

"I can get the paranoia about taking time off when it's pretty much been fed into you since birth and aided by the educational system that time off means you're going to fail at life."

[weerainbow.livejournal.com]

wow, I can't imagine people having to be just about forced into taking time off!! But it's important to have rest to recharge. People can't keep going under pressure forever. They break eventually :(

[rikayla.livejournal.com]

Workers that still come to work can't do their job, the PCs are locked.

Smart.

And great first post, OP. This is really interesting. Thanks for the translations :)

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

And great first post, OP. This is really interesting. Thanks for the translations :)

awww thank you :) i had to submit it twice because i forgot some things when i first submitted it, but im glad everything is right now :)