Living and working in Korea as a Global Employee 2018

Jeff Schwartzman, Recruiting Partner, Laguna Source
65 Enterprise, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
949-330-7232 (p), jeff@lagunasource.com, linkedin.com/in/jeffschwartzman
South Korea is the new frontier within the Global BioPharmaceutical industry.
Korean BioPharmaceutical companies including Samsung Biologics, Samsung Bioepis and Celltrion have recruited US,
Canadian, and European Global employees providing key leadership, scientific, and technical expertise to help grow this new
industry. Working in South Korea provides a challenging yet exciting opportunity to experience a true Global
BioPharmaceutical industry strategically aligned with the US FDA and a proven track history of success.
General Global Employee Benefits:
• Company paid housing in New Songdo City, South Korea. Typically, a 3-4 bedroom, 1500-2000 sq. ft. apartment.
• International school tuition paid for children. The Chadwick International School is the best of the best!!!
• Competitive Base Salary and target bonus (10-30% of Base Salary) plus 8.3% Korean Retirement Allowance.
• Full medical insurance benefits on the National Medical Insurance Plan of Korea.
• 3 weeks of vacation time.
• Company paid meals provided at the company cafe.
• Company paid airfares to visit the US (or country of origin).
• Tax incentives on US Federal and Korean taxes.
• Opportunity to work for an industry leading global BioPharma company with an exceptional friendly team of 100+ fellow
US Global employees and families with experience from companies including Genentech, Amgen, BMS, J&J,
MedImmune, HGSI, Baxter, Boehringer Ingelheim, Shire, Lonza and Biogen.

Samsung Biologics has brought on board a fantastic team of over 100 Global Employees. The team has
diverse backgrounds with experience from companies including Amgen, AstraZeneca/MedImmune, Bayer, Biogen Idec,
Boehringer-Ingelheim, BMS, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, J&J, Jubilant HollisterStier, Lonza, Genentech, Shire and XOMA.
Nearly half of the Global Employees live in Songdo with their families and have school age children attending the Chadwick
International School. They are a welcoming friendly team who have formed a new global community within Songdo.
https://www.samsungbiologics.com/front/eng/careers/meet-list.do

The New Songdo City and Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) is a master-planned metropolis and International
Business District. The city is a model of sustainable green living, city-scale development, and innovation. The city has
become a vibrant and attractive destination within Korea with world class shopping, restaurants and parks. Highlights
of New Songdo City include:
• A new Aerotropolis located 7 miles in proximity to the Incheon International Airport and a 15 minute drive via
the new Incheon Grand Bridge. Just a 2 hour flight to Shanghai, Osaka or Tokyo!
• A modern master planned city used as filming locations for movies, TV shows and the PSY Gangnam Style video.
• 600 acres of open space including a beautiful 100-acre Central Park. The Haedoji park features a 1 mile paved
jogging/bike trail and Songdo also has an interconnected network of bike paths and bike trails into Incheon city.
• The Chadwick International School for students pre-K through High School, offers a state-of-the-art learning
environment to prepare children for leading post-secondary schools worldwide – www.chadwickinternational.org
• The New Zealand Education Centre (NZEC) is an International Preschool for Expat Families in Songdo.
• Plentiful local shopping including Songdo Market (groceries), Lotte Mart (like Target) and E-Mart (like Walmart),
Costco, the new Triple Street Mall and Hyundai Premium Outlets all within 2 miiles of Songdo apartment areas.
• Global Universities SUNY Korea campus (State University of New York at Stony Brook), George Mason
University, University of Utah, Ghent University (Belgium), and Yonsei University’s Songdo Global Academic
Complex.
• 1 hour bus ride away from Seoul via either the 6405 or 6724 buses (just 3,000 Won ~$3).
• Subway access to downtown Incheon or convenient shopping including E-Mart and Square One Mall.
• The architecturally stunning Songdo Convensia, operating as Incheon's primary convention center.
• The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea features an 18-hole championship golf course and former President Cup Host.
• Songdo International City Hospital, planned to boast the latest in medical diagnosis and treatment technologies.
3M and Microsoft will also participate in the development of this world class healthcare facility.
• Songdo Dream City, a downtown feel area with international restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, and banks.
• Close proximity to Incheon cultural centers including Old Songdo restaurants, Chinatown and Wolmido.

The Chadwick International School is a central element in the newly created Incheon Free Economic Zone named
International Business District (IBD) in Songdo, South Korea. The K-12 international school is centrally located on a
seventeen-acre site in the heart of our city. The 500,000 square foot state-of-the-art school has 74 classrooms, 2
gymnasiums, 2 theatres, 2 libraries, 13 science labs, a multipurpose center, music and art centers, as well as a swimming
pool, tennis courts, an athletic field and numerous playgrounds. The school can currently support Pre-K to 12th grade
students. The school is the first of its kind in Korea to offer a world-class international school program that local
Korean students can attend together with Global Employee and dual citizenship holders.
Chadwick International (CI) is an independent coeducational non-denominational K-12 international school. It is the sister
school of Chadwick School, a premier independent K-12 school in Palos Verdes, CA (Los Angeles area).
The academic curriculum is fully integrated across all divisions. The nine academic departments include English,
Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Theater Arts, Visual Arts, and World Languages.
The faculty consists of over 70 international teachers providing a 7:1 student -to-teacher ratio.
Chadwick International offers a variety of co-curricular programs which include Athletics, College Counseling, Community
Service, Global Opportunities, Outdoor Education, and Performing & Visual Arts. Sports offered include soccer,
basketball, rugby, track and field, cross country, volleyball, and swimming. Chadwick International has taken a lead
role in organizing Korea International Schools Activities Conference (KISAC).

Chadwick International is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme
school. The IB Organization works with schools, governments and international
organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous
assessment. The curriculum aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young
people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural
understanding and respect. IB encourages a positive attitude to learning by encouraging
students to ask challenging questions, to critically reflect, to develop research skills, to
learn how to learn and to participate in community service. It also seeks to develop
international-mindness in students, by first developing an understanding of their own
cultural and national identity.
Chadwick International also offers Advance Placement (AP) courses for Upper School
students. Currently students may study 8 courses at the AP level including Language
and Composition, World History, Physics l, Environmental Science, Calculus BC,
Music Theory, Art History and Mandarin Independent Study.
Chadwick International's world class facilities include an Astroturf soccer field, Olympic sized pool, rock climbing wall,
TV Production Studio, Cisco Unity Telepresence classroom, tennis courts, robotics classrooms and multiple
theaters. Chadwick International is walking distance from the major apartment buildings in Songdo.

Songdo, Incheon is located along the reclaimed and newly developed land along Incheon’s waterfront and is
considered to be a part of the greater Incheon metropolitan area. Make your way into the heart of Incheon, the
closest metropolitan area and you will find all the major attractions, cultural sites, and shopping one would expect
to find in a major metropolitan area. Incheon is a city of great history and culture and minutes away from Songdo
through car, tax, bus, or subway system.
• Plentiful convenient shopping including Costco, the new Triple Street Mall and Hyundai Premium
Outlets which rivals major US malls with major stores including H&M, Adidas, Godiva, Discovery Store,
Coach and P.F. Chang’s. Local grocery shopping includes Songdo Market, Lotte Mart (like Target) and E-
Mart (like Walmart).
• Enjoy a professional baseball game at Munhak Baseball Stadium. Baseball is one of Korea’s most
popular sports, and many enjoy watching and following the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization). One
of the newest baseball stadiums in Korea, Munhak Stadium houses up to 27,800 people. Go out and
support the local team, the Incheon SK Wyverns!
• Enjoy authentic Chinese food and see the sites of Korea’s only official Chinatown. Formed in 1884,
Incheon’s Chinatown was originally designed as an extraterritoriality of the Ching Dynasty, holding stores
that traded goods imported from China.
• Heungryunsa Temple is adjacent to Songdo International City. The Memorial Park for the Incheon
Landing Operation is also located right near the entrance of the temple. The temple itself is situated on
top of a hill with breathtaking views of Songdo.
• Wolmido Island, which is now part of the mainland through the creation of a highway, is a popular tourist
destination as well as a weekend getaway for many Koreans. Many cafes and seafood restaurants are
lined along the coast so you can enjoy food while viewing the sea. A must-see attraction on Wolmido
Island is “Play Hill”, which is a “carnival” type experience with various rides, games, and delicious treats.

Seoul is the capital city of South Korea and one of the global top 10 financial and commercial cities in the world.
It is a megacity with a population of over 10 million people and world’s second largest metropolitan area with over
25 million inhabitants, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province.
Seoul’s subway is the world’s second most highly used and has a unified public transportation system with
Incheon and Gyeonggi. Incheon International Airport is consistently rated the best airport worldwide since 2005 by
Airports Council International.
Seoul is a city of contrasts, which offers Global Employees an opportunity to live in a modern but culturally and
historically rich city. There is never a dull moment in Seoul and it is full of surprises. Look beyond the towering
skyscrapers and you will find a hidden world of palaces, temples and secret gardens.
Seoul's rapidly growing number of foreigners comprise 2.2% of the country's population but this number is
steadily increasing on an annual basis and it is tipped to become an extremely popular Global Employee
destination.
Seoul is one of the safest places in the world for foreign travelers, with low levels of crime, a hospitable
population, cutting-edge medical facilities and capable police and security authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Do I need to speak Korean to live and work in South Korea as an Global Employee?
A: Absolutely not! BioPharma companies in South Korea run as global companies. They make it a priority to hire English
speaking employees and conduct a majority of company operations in English to ensure FDA and global regulatory
compliance as well as to communicate with US BioPharma Clients.
It is advisable to learn Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language. Hangul is an easy to learn alphabet of just 24
consonant and vowel letters grouped into blocks to form syllables.
Q: What type of visa do I need to work in South Korea as an Global Employee?
A: It is easy to obtain a Working Visa in the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) as a qualified professional from the US,
Canada or Europe.
Global Employees who are not of Korean Heritage typically obtain an E-7 Working Visa which is designated for Special
Occupations. Requirements to apply for the E-7 visa include: Visa Application Form, Passport Scan, Employment Contract or
Offer Letter, Employment Verifications, Educational Degree Verifications (scanned diplomas preferred) and Passport/Visa
Photo.
Global Employees who are of Korean Heritage typically obtain an F-4 Visa. In order to qualify for the F-4 Visa, you must be of
Korean descent. You must have been born in the U.S and hold US citizenship. At the time of your birth, one of your parents
must have been a Korean citizen.
Requirements to apply for the F-4 visa include: Visa Application Form, U.S Passport, Birth Certificate, Parent's U.S
Naturalization papers and Family Registry (these must be obtained in Korea).
Q: What will my spouse do in Korea?
A: This is a major question to consider. The BioPharma companies in Korea are very supportive and will do their best to help
spouses find suitable positions within their organizations and network. It can be challenging finding a position without
speaking the Korean languages, however the large Korean companies are globally focused and very accommodating about
hiring qualified professionals as foreign Global Employees. We have been fortunate to see Samsung Biologics employ over 5
spouses in QC, Validation, Quality and Engineering positions.
The Chadwick School offers a strong parents association and outstanding parent’s network. Parents are always welcome on-
campus and encouraged as active volunteers throughout the school. Chadwick International School also serves as a hub of
activities within the International Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) and Songdo City. There is a fantastic group of parents who
regularly take social day trips for coffee, shopping, sightseeing in Seoul, overnights to Korean landmarks and even to Jeju
island. Within the Incheon Songdo IFEZ there are global organizations such as the UN Green Climate Fund, World Bank as
well as many new Western Universities in the Incheon Global Campus including SUNY Stony Brook, George Mason
University and University of Utah. Living in Songdo as an Global Employee is a great opportunity to meet new friends within a
diverse international business community comprised of business executives, diplomats, and professors.
Q: Where will I live and where are the apartments located?
A: The Songdo apartments are all located in privately owned apartment buildings located within a few blocks between the
Songdo Central park and Chadwick international School. It’s easy for children to walk to school and to after school activities
in nearby buildings. Samsung Biologics runs an employee shuttle service to and from their facility which is just 3 miles away.
The apartments are approximately 1500-2000 sq ft with 3-4 bedrooms. It’s also an easy and flat bike ride to work via a
network of bike paths and bike trails.

Q: How will I be paid and what are the tax benefits?
A: Salaries and bonus structures are comparable to US BioPharma companies. You can be paid either in US Dollars or
Korean Won but this must be decided upfront.
You will also receive a retirement allowance in addition to your salary and this is mandatory by Korean Law. The best way to
describe this is “Korean 401K”, but it’s officially known in Korea as Taechikum 대지금금. This retirement allowance is 8.3%
of your annual salary and is held within a Korean bank the entire duration of your working period in Korea. You and the
company both pay into a Korean Pension fund (4.5% + 4.5%) Once you leave Korea, you can reclaim the total retirement
allowance and Korean Pension amounts you have accumulated.
Tax benefits vary on a case-by-case basis as everyone’s tax situation is different. Working in the International Free
Economic Zone offers an $97,600 tax deduction. If you reside in Korea for 330 days or more (or pro-rated annual amount),
you will pay less tax than you would normally pay living in the States. For more comprehensive tax answers or a free tax
consulation, please contact Mr. Jeffrey Lee, CPA. He has been helping many Global Employees and is familiar with Global
Employee related taxation - 510-547-9788 - jlee@leecpa.us
Q: How are my medical/healthcare benefits covered?
A: You and your family will be covered under the National Medical Insurance Plan of Korea which covers everyone residing
in Korea. Coverage is priced at 3% of your base salary. I have received exceptional feedback about the high level of service
and exceptional healthcare in Korea.
If you have family residing in the US, you will most likely be able to receive supplemental healthcare coverage for visits to the
US and other countries through a 3rd party insurance provider such as AIG or Cigna.
Q: How long is an Global Employee assignment and what happens when my Global Employee contract is over?
A: Typical Global Employee assignments are for a 3 year contract period. This duration is often tied with the apartment lease
period. After completing a 3 year Global Employee assignment, the company will pay for you and your family to repatriate
back to the US so pay for your transportation, moving and shipping costs.
You can be promoted within your contract period. Recently many Samsung Biologics Global Employees have extended their
Global Employee assignments and are working in their 4th, 5th and 6th years in higher level positions up to the Sr. Director or
VP level. As long as you and the company both mutually agree to continue, the Global Employee contracts can be
renewed indefinitely. If you decide that after 3 years you would like to return to the US, you would need to find a new
position. The people who have returned after working in Global Employee positions have been able to advance their career
with top global companies and attribute a rapid career growth from their experiences working internationally in Korea.
Samsung Biologics HR Team with Laguna Source

You must be adventurous to succeed and enjoy living abroad as an Global Employee. Though Korea is a super modern
and business friendly environment, cultural and language barriers will differ from the States. Every day will be a new
adventure; from getting your ARC (Alien Registration Card), first time grocery shopping, ordering dinner in a restaurant,
taking a cab back to your hotel, purchasing a subway card, going to the ATM machine, and going to the doctor.
You will be working with a highly educated staff who learned English in school. You may find that your staff does not have the
same technical skillsets and industry experience as comparable staff in the US. Your leadership role will be focused on
training and teaching more than in the States. This is a major reason why the BioPharma companies hire Global Employees.
The country of South Korea offers stunning ocean views, excellent hiking & biking, crazy food and fantastic cities. Your
adventurous spirit will help shorten your initial learning curve and turn you into a local in due time.
About me, Jeff Schwartzman, Laguna Source BioPharma
I have 20 years experience recruiting within the
Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, BioPharma, and IT
industries. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to
successfully recruit Global Employees in Korea and have
placed over 50 candidates within 5 different companies in
Korea. The feedback and stories I have received from
candidates I placed has overwhelmingly been positive.
They have shared incredible experiences about the
success of the companies, the schools, friendliness of
the Korean people, new friends & colleagues, and travels
throughout the Korea & neighboring Asian countries.
I have also been fortunate to visit Korea 8 times including
my recent trip to Songdo and Seoul last December
Please feel free to reach out to me about any questions you have about living in Korea as an Global Employee as, additional
photos, or questions about benefits. My network of professionals based in Korea as well as current and former Global
Employees serves as great resources for more advanced questions.
jeff@lagunasource.com - 949-330-7232

Korea Global Employee Testimonials:
'Living and working in Korea has been a very rewarding experience for me and my family. It has
given me the unique opportunity to learn Korean business culture as well as explore my
heritage. Songdo affords us the benefits of a modern infrastructure in a multicultural setting with
a world class school and the conveniences of fine shopping, dining, and entertainment needs all
within easy reach. Seoul and other great nearby destinations are just a few hours away as well. I
would strongly recommend taking an Global Employee opportunity in Korea, and especially in
Songdo which has exceeded our expectations.'
- James J. Choi, VP and CIO, Samsung BioLogics
'Jeff Schwartzman of Laguna Source had called me and proposed a position in the Far East with a Korean start-up
biopharmaceutical company. My wife and I had always dreamed of traveling to the East and after just a short discussion we
agreed to go. Our ignorant imaginations ran wild of living in small huts, with no air conditioning, intermittent electricity, roads
that were mostly dirt, etc. Well, were we ever surprised! We were situated in Seoul with a beautiful three-bedroom
“villa”/condominium in a prosperous section of the city, near the Han river. We were within walking distance to hospitals, hair
salons, food shops, restaurants, churches and veterinarians. The streets were super clean and the sidewalks and streets
were in great condition. The highways were beautiful and getting around was very easy with signs in both Korean and
English. Public transportation was available everywhere with subways so clean you could see your reflection in the floors.
The Koreans we met were so helpful and just couldn’t
do enough for us. They were shy in the beginning,
but when they got to know you, their personalities
were warm, and very funny. The young people
treated us like family and we grew very close to those
we worked with and lived near. We were invited to
weddings, funerals, 1st birthdays (a very big
celebration in Korea) and dinners together. The
Global Employee community was our gateway to
people from all over the world and we have made
lasting friendships with those from England, Australia,
India, South Africa, France, Canada and individuals
from most corners of the world. Our proximity to so
many Asian countries allowed us travel to Japan on
weekends, to China, Singapore, Hong Kong,
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. These were
places we had dreamed about and now we had the
opportunity to go there. The junior level Koreans we
worked with were thirsty for knowledge and extremely
intelligent. They worked long hard hours and showed
us extreme respect.
As we guided them, they grew in numbers and worked to build the manufacturing site to become one of the largest in the
world and to become compliant with American, European and Korean drug manufacturing standards.
Having this opportunity expanded our knowledge of the
world. We’ve learned to respect cultures, languages and
people different from our own. We’ve also seen how these
different cultures want to be like Americans and came to
us to help them with our language and to understand our
traditions.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we would
encourage everyone to take the time to see this part of the
world.'
- Rusty Kutny, VP Quality
Control and QA at Celltrion
(2004-2009)

'Living and working in Korea was an opportunity of a lifetime. The people are warm, friendly and always willing to assist
Global Employees. I found the work environment to be fast-paced, stimulating and very rewarding. Project timelines are
aggressive and tend to be much shorter than in typical western biotech/pharma companies. This is a blessing in disguise - as
a valued Global Employee you will learn to share expertise and disseminate information quickly and effectively (even through
language barriers). At the same time you will gain invaluable knowledge on the entire product development life cycle in a very
short amount of time. This is a win-win situation for both the company and the Global employees. Besides work, the
opportunities for family life are great.
You will meet and form true friendships with many other foreigners especially through the
international schools and Global Employee clubs. Another tremendous life benefit is the
opportunity to travel throughout Southeast Asia. Take advantage! Gather cherished memories
of riding elephants around the temples in Cambodia, climbing the Great Wall in China, sitting
on the beautiful beaches in Thailand and Vietnam, and trying all of the wonderfully delicious
food in the region. The close proximity of the Incheon International Airport allows for convenient
travel to truly unique locations within and around Korea. Work and life as an Global Employee
in Korea was an amazing experience and is highly recommended.'
- John Kim, Director of Analytical Development at Celltrion (2008-2011)
'It was a great experience to live and work in South Korea. It was an opportunity of a lifetime being involved in starting up
one of the largest cell culture manufacturing facilities in Asia for the large-scale production of a commercial biologic to the
USA. Looking back at that project 4 years after I left, I truly feel fortunate to have been a part of an international project with
such scope and magnitude. As one of the subject matter experts (SME) brought in on a technically-complex project of
transferring a biomanufacturing process into a newly-formed company, I had my concerns such as the language barriers and
training/workforce development. I found that these concerns of mine were very minor as I was working with a very sharp
local staff. The local company did a great job in hiring very talented and eager-to-learn graduates right from the local
universities and incumbent professionals from the local industry. It can be said that eagerness and enthusiasm go a long
way in a company in terms of a workforce.
Besides work life, I very much enjoyed the overall experience being immersed in such a rich and colorful culture. My family
and I made sure that we visited various places in the country as well as taking advantage of visiting other countries nearby. I
remember one particular trip with a colleague of mine from Canada who is a fan of Formula One Racing. For a weekend, my
colleague and I saw the Shanghai Grand Prix. It was just a jet-hop away from Incheon International Airport.
It does take an adventurous spirit, an open mind, and the willingness to accept the differences in how people live compared
to how we live in the US. I'm glad that I had the chance and opportunity to live and work in South Korea. I highly
recommend it.'
-Ray Anover; Manager, Technology Transfer; VaxGen team at Celltrion (2005-2008)

Songdo Area Map

Additional Links:
New Songdo City - http://www.songdo.com
Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) - http://ifez.go.kr/eng/main.do
IFEZ Global Center - https://www.facebook.com/ifezglobalcenter
Songdo City of the Future - http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/09/songdo-south-korea-the-city-of-
the-future/380849/
Cisco - Cities of the Future - Songdo, South Korea - http://newsroom.cisco.com/songdo
Could Songdo be the world's smartest city? - http://www.worldfinance.com/inward-investment/could-songdo-be-the-
worlds-smartest-city
Chadwick International School - http://www.chadwickinternational.org
Incheon Global Campus - http://www.sgu.or.kr/sgu/new_eng/main.htm
SUNY Korea - http://www.sunykorea.ac.kr/
University of Utah Asia Campus - http://asiacampus.utah.edu/
George Mason University Korea - http://masonkorea.gmu.edu/
Retirement Allowance/Taechikum 대지금금) - http://www.korea4Global Employees.com/article-severance-pay-
korea.html
Korean National Medical Insurance Plan - http://www.korea4Global Employees.com/article-medical-insurance.html

Living and working in Korea as a Global Employee 2018

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Living and working in Korea as a Global Employee 2018

Similar to Living and working in Korea as a Global Employee 2018 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Living and working in Korea as a Global Employee 2018