More Retirees Leave Korea Dreaming of Better Lives

Summary: Old people come in one by one and take a seat About 20 people with silver hair fill the space and perk up their ears to catch the presenter s every word They write down important points and raise their wrinkled hands to satisfy their doubts This is not a school for late beginners but rather a presentation for senior citizens dreaming of retiring in another country Kim Yong hwan a 58 year old office worker was worried because consumer prices have soared and the pension he receives is not enough to live on in Seoul So he looked to another nation one where he can live like an ``emperor Malaysia ``Cheap clean and warm That s why I choose Malaysia for my second home Kim told The Korea Times ``And I can easily visit Korea because it just takes six hours by plane He said he would leave for his heaven on earth as soon as his daughter got married Cheaper and Warmer More Koreans emigrate to Southeast Asian countries to avoid high prices and changeable weather Presentations and fairs on migration are crowded with visitors The number of Korean immigrants who left for the Philippines has steadily increased the Philippine Leisure and Retirement Authority reported The report said that 505 Korean people moved to the Southeast Asian country as of August 2006 almost five times the number that emigrated in 2002 As more people show interest in migration to Southeast Asia nations in the region have developed immigration programs The Malaysian government introduced the ``My Second Home program five years ago and is promoting it to attract more Korean retirees Under the program people 50 years old or older who deposit about 40 million won $43 000 in a Malaysian bank are given the right of permanent residence in Malaysia For the past three years about 300 Koreans have participated in the program for retirees and the number of Korean immigrants is almost 1 000 when their families are counted an official of the Tourism Malaysia said ``This year the number of Korean immigrants soared Abdul Mutalib Awang a director of the Tourism Malaysia told The Korea Times ``I think skyrocketing apartment prices leverage more people decide migration Participants in the program get a tax break when they purchase a house and rent is much cheaper than in Korea the director said According to Lotte Tours which promotes migration programs people can rent a condominium a house that comes with access to a swimming pool and fitness club for about 400 000 won a month Living costs including leisure and educational expenses are estimated at 2 million won per month Cha Eun kyu Lotte s regional director in Malaysia said during the presentation in Seoul on Nov 23 In addition people can golf at cheaper price Fees for an annual golf club membership are about 250 000 won ``Living costs in Malaysia of course would vary depending on where and how you live Cha said ``But I am sure that retirees can settle there well unless they expect too extravagant of a life Weather conditions in Southeast Asia are another factor drawing Korean retirees ``The aged tend to suffer from arthritis during season changes said Cha who has been living in Malaysia for five years now ``But because of the warm and constant weather many immigrants in those regions often say that their arthritis has gone away Malaysia has a tropical climate The average temperature is 26 or 27 degrees Celsius with 63 percent to 80 percent humidity Aged immigrants get ill despite the warm climate but they don t need to worry about inadequate facilities Capital cities have well equipped hospitals and some of them offer interpreters the regional director said For younger retirees international schools which subscribe to American or British educational systems are appealing Currently Kuala Lumpur has 12 international schools and children of the program participants can enter those schools with a deposit of about 3 3 million won Pitfalls of Paradise There are some downside for immigrants however Immigrants sometimes fail to settle in their chosen Southeast Asian paradises So immigration agencies stress that thorough preparations should be made before leaving Korea ``People tend to conclude that living costs in Southeast Asia would be cheaper than they are an agent said ``But it varies with where and how you live For example if an immigrant hires a Korean housemaid and buys only Korean food the living costs will be the as same those in Korea she said Getting accustomed to a different language food and culture are other obstacles Some of the retired immigrants return to their homeland because they failed to adapt agencies said Because of language barriers immigrants sometimes have problems explaining their symptoms and getting their disease treated they said Without friends and family around the aged can easily feel isolated and get homesick agencies said People who wish to do business in another country should check regulations and conditions the director of the Tourism Malaysia said For retired emigrants or those preparing for emigration however one of the biggest mistakes is to think that they will be able to earn money to support themselves an agent said ``No nation wants immigrants to earn money in its territory he said ``Every country wants them to spend and invest money there People should think about why foreign countries provide these immigrant programs Local Efforts to Attract Retirees Along with the low birthrate the migration of old people is having a negative effect on the regional economy Local governments have introduced several programs to attract retirees According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry local governments are building about 40 villages for the aged The Pohang government said it would construct a community for retirees on about 260 000 pyong 858 000 square meters of land With convenient facilities such as a special hospital and a golf course the city hopes to attract even overseas Koreans Cho Jae ho a professor of the University of Ulsan said those efforts by local governments could be an economic engine for regional development ``South Koreans should prepare for retired life in their 50s because society tends to push them for an early retirement Cho said ``Retirees can be helpful to the local economy Old people come in one by one and take a seat About 20 people with silver hair fill the space and perk up their ears to catch the presenter s every word They write down important points and raise their wrinkled hands to satisfy their doubts This is not a school for late beginners but rather a presentation for senior citizens dreaming of retiring in another country Kim Yong hwan a 58 year old office worker was worried because consumer prices have soared and the pension he receives is not enough to live on in Seoul So he looked to another nation one where he can live like an ``emperor Malaysia ``Cheap clean and warm That s why I choose Malaysia for my second home Kim told The Korea Times ``And I can easily visit Korea because it just takes six hours by plane He said he would leave for his heaven on earth as soon as his daughter got married Cheaper and Warmer More Koreans emigrate to Southeast Asian countries to avoid high prices and changeable weather Presentations and fairs on migration are crowded with visitors The number of Korean immigrants who left for the Philippines has steadily increased the Philippine Leisure and Retirement Authority reported The report said that 505 Korean people moved to the Southeast Asian country as of August 2006 almost five times the number that emigrated in 2002 As more people show interest in migration to Southeast Asia nations in the region have developed immigration programs The Malaysian government introduced the ``My Second Home program five years ago and is promoting it to attract more Korean retirees Under the program people 50 years old or older who deposit about 40 million won $43 000 in a Malaysian bank are given the right of permanent residence in Malaysia For the past three years about 300 Koreans have participated in the program for retirees and the number of Korean immigrants is almost 1 000 when their families are counted an official of the Tourism Malaysia said ``This year the number of Korean immigrants soared Abdul Mutalib Awang a director of the Tourism Malaysia told The Korea Times ``I think skyrocketing apartment prices leverage more people decide migration Participants in the program get a tax break when they purchase a house and rent is much cheaper than in Korea the director said According to Lotte Tours which promotes migration programs people can rent a condominium a house that comes with access to a swimming pool and fitness club for about 400 000 won a month Living costs including leisure and educational expenses are estimated at 2 million won per month Cha Eun kyu Lotte s regional director in Malaysia said during the presentation in Seoul on Nov 23 In addition people can golf at cheaper price Fees for an annual golf club membership are about 250 000 won ``Living costs in Malaysia of course would vary depending on where and how you live Cha said ``But I am sure that retirees can settle there well unless they expect too extravagant of a life Weather conditions in Southeast Asia are another factor drawing Korean retirees ``The aged tend to suffer from arthritis during season changes said Cha who has been living in Malaysia for five years now ``But because of the warm and constant weather many immigrants in those regions often say that their arthritis has gone away Malaysia has a tropical climate The average temperature is 26 or 27 degrees Celsius with 63 percent to 80 percent humidity Aged immigrants get ill despite the warm climate but they don t need to worry about inadequate facilities Capital cities have well equipped hospitals and some of them offer interpreters the regional director said For younger retirees international schools which subscribe to American or British educational systems are appealing Currently Kuala Lumpur has 12 international schools and children of the program participants can enter those schools with a deposit of about 3 3 million won Pitfalls of Paradise There are some downside for immigrants however Immigrants sometimes fail to settle in their chosen Southeast Asian paradises So immigration agencies stress that thorough preparations should be made before leaving Korea ``People tend to conclude that living costs in Southeast Asia would be cheaper than they are an agent said ``But it varies with where and how you live For example if an immigrant hires a Korean housemaid and buys only Korean food the living costs will be the as same those in Korea she said Getting accustomed to a different language food and culture are other obstacles Some of the retired immigrants return to their homeland because they failed to adapt agencies said Because of language barriers immigrants sometimes have problems explaining their symptoms and getting their disease treated they said Without friends and family around the aged can easily feel isolated and get homesick agencies said People who wish to do business in another country should check regulations and conditions the director of the Tourism Malaysia said For retired emigrants or those preparing for emigration however one of the biggest mistakes is to think that they will be able to earn money to support themselves an agent said ``No nation wants immigrants to earn money in its territory he said ``Every country wants them to spend and invest money there People should think about why foreign countries provide these immigrant programs Local Efforts to Attract Retirees Along with the low birthrate the migration of old people is having a negative effect on the regional economy Local governments have introduced several programs to attract retirees According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry local governments are building about 40 villages for the aged The Pohang government said it would construct a community for retirees on about 260 000 pyong 858 000 square meters of land With convenient facilities such as a special hospital and a golf course the city hopes to attract even overseas Koreans Cho Jae ho a professor of the University of Ulsan said those efforts by local governments could be an economic engine for regional development ``South Koreans should prepare for retired life in their 50s because society tends to push them for an early retirement Cho said ``Retirees can be helpful to the local economy

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