Crackdown - 엄중 단속

Is this serious?? (이건 진지한가?)

The Korean government is now preparing for a June crackdown on illegal workers, and on those hiring them. (한국 정부가 불법 노동자과 그들의 고용주에 반대해서 6월 엄중 단속을 준비하는 것)

...the authorities have begun investigating the authenticity of workers' qualifications and the practices of the hagwon owners who employ them. A number of teachers have since been deported and fines of up to $4,000 (£2,000) have been issued against employers. (당국이 노동자의 자격의 신빙성과 그들을 고용하는 학원 원장의 업무를 조사하기 시작했다. 얼마간의 선생을 추방하고 고용주는 4천달러까지의 벌금을 부과받았다.)

That they're cracking down on illegal workers (hence setting the qualifications for teaching EFL in Korea as simply a university degree *sigh*; 그러니까 한국에 EFL(외국어로서의 영어)을 카르칠 자격은 대학 학위일 뿐 *탄식*) is a good thing, but as is quoted:

"The business is totally unregulated, that's the problem. Anyone can set up a
school. The owner doesn't have to know anything about teaching, he just needs a
licence. It's definitely an industry that needs a lot of work." ([학원들이] 전혀 규제되지 않은데 문제는 이거다. 누구든지 학원을 세울 수 있다. 소유자가 교육에 대한 지식이 피료 없는데 허가만 필요함. 많이 변해야 할 산업이다.)

As in most parts of the world these days, it seems, the authorities are targetting the symptoms (individual schools and workers) rather than the cause (regulations and the lack thereof). So the illness remains. [요즘 대부분의 나라의 당국이 증후를 목적(개별적인 학원과 노동자)으로 삼지만 원인(규제의 없음)을 모르는 척 해서 질병이 남다.]

He added that teacher numbers in the country have dropped from 13,000 in 1997 to
little over 5,000 in 2005 because of a tightening of immigration laws.

5,000 teachers would be plenty if the necessary qualifications were raised, if the authorities ever scrapped the 'letter of release' that teachers need to change jobs, and if they started weeding out unqualified employers (implying ones who have at least a background in language teaching and intercultural management skills) . They might actually attract good teachers! [자격을 올린다면 당국이 (일 바꾸려 고용주에게선 필요하지만 거의 안 주는) 'letter of release'를 폐진다면 (최소한 언어교육 배경과 이(異)문화 간의 경영 기술 없는) 부적격의 고용주들을 제거하기 시작한다면 선생 5천 명이 충분할 거구나!]

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Once again, it's clear there's some confusion (unwitting or not) between three issues - the first two may be linked: [다시 한 번 (모르거나 알고 있거나) 문제의 3개 사이 혼란이 된 것 같다.]

--Teaching qualifications (and how to attract qualified professionals to Korea and keep them). [교육 자격 (그러나 자격이 풍분한 직업인을 한국에 어떻게 끌고 지킬까)]

--People working in Korea illegally (probably without the required degree; possibly with teaching experience). [한국에 불법적으로 일하는 사람들 (아마도 학위 없는데 혹시 교육 경험이 있는지 모른다.)]

--Morals - fighting, foreign males hitting on Korean women, drugs, alcoholism,... [도덕상 - 싸움. 외국남성들이 한국여성들에게 구애함. 만약. 알코올 중독. ...]

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And this is useful to know:

The men claim they were provoked, but provocation and self-defence are not recognised under Korean law. It is the person with the least number of injuries, or no injuries at all, that is charged with any crime.