Special Episode: Bill Kapoun’s Story
Podcast November 8th, 2009
On Bill Kapoun's memorial card (courtesy of Judy Kapoun)
This show was recorded on Thursday, November 5th, 2009. In early 2008 the story of a teacher named Bill Kapoun and his Korean girlfriend succumbing to a fire in his apartment rattled the expat community awake. It was the first time our lot actually banded together to help people in need and sparked a new era of community consciousness.
It has been almost two years since Bill and his girlfriend died and the family stopped accepting donations. When Bill’s body left Korea, he left behind many mysteries. Bill’s family has not spoken much until now.
This is his story.
PANELISTS
Judy Kapoun (Bill’s mother)
Stephanie White
LINKS
iVoice (foreignersvoice.co.uk)
November 9th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Foreigners, including more than teachers, need to band together to battle this evil that is the Korean mindset. This place creates a ‘me first’ mentality among us. We need to organize in the same way (but with real reason) that Koreans do against Korean beef, or for Dokdo. It isn’t just sitting on our asses. It’s sending out letters to all newspapers, hometown, and national, to apprise everyone of the lack of any protection that we see daily. Even those who haven’t faced problems, know exactly what is going on here. It isn’t about culture. It’s about dumping the bullshit and education the masses.
Mike
November 10th, 2009 at 8:05 am
I’ll try and get something about this posted later today.
Joe, or Stafford or Jen, or anyone else, what about writing something up for the Herald about these deaths, these unanswered questions, what they mean for other expatriates, etc.?
November 10th, 2009 at 9:17 am
That’s a good idea.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I am Billy’s cousin. Judy Kapoun is my godmother, Billy will always be remembered for who he was, thank you for all the wonderful people that helped out our family. Thank you for all the people that knew Billy.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I didn’t know about Bill’s story before (I heard the other one), and I can’t imagine how horrifying that must have been for all involved, especially since there is still such a mystery connected to it.
However, I wanted to comment on something Stephanie said, about how we should not be here and we’re not safe. No one is absolutely safe anywhere. There is safer, but even in your home country (US, Canada, England, NZ), you’re not safe. I don’t think the solution is “stay out of Korea”. That, to me, is like saying “just stay home. Don’t leave your home state/province, don’t take risks.”
November 13th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Denise,
Yes, it is technically true that we are not 100% safe anywhere in the world.
But it is also true that we are no where near 100% safe here. yes, EMT do exist here… did you know their highest level of certification is CPR and they will be reluctant to do it for a foreigner?
Did you know that if you are in an accident/victim of a crime, your visa sponsor has no legal responsibility to help you unless the impact of your situation prevents you from teaching. And if it does prevent you from teaching, they can choose to release you from your contract/visa instead of helping you? And there’s no legal recourse for you.
All I ment by that statement on the show, was that there are LOTS of hidden ‘hotspots’ in Korea and there’s not a lot of help if you fall into one. In that sense, no, Korea is not the safest choice that can be made for an ESL career and it’s important for expats to know the odds before coming here… rather than be fed a bunch of sugarcoated “Korea sparkling” lies.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Billy’s landlord even walked away with his security deposit. Seems so inconsequential now, but just one more slap.
Make sure all of you there – that your family members hold their own valid passports. One never thinks about a trip, on a moment’s notice – like we had to make. It complicated things TREMENDOUSLY that Dan’s passport had expired.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I came to Korea in 2002 and less than a month later I was lying in a hospital bed fighting for my life. My disease at that time was unknown and a precurser to SARS. My contract stated that medical insurance would be provided by the school but because of the quick nature of my illness, the school had not had an opportunity to get coverage yet. Unfortunately they did not tell me that coverage would commence about 1 month into my contract. However my school was fantastic about doing anything they could for me or my brother who travelled to Korea to be at my bedside or as the Canadian embassy warned him, take the body home. Fortunately for me, the doctors who much like many Canadian doctors didn’t speak a foreign language were able to save my life. The hospital did everything possible to reduce my bill to allow me to pay it. After 24 days in ICU, I took an ambulance to Incheon airport and with medical teams on standby at every stop, I was able to return to Canada. After a few days in hospital in canada, I was released and slowly regained the massive weight loss that i had incurred from a month in hospital. Eighteen months later I returned to Korea with the same school. Unlike some others experiences, I have nothing but good things to say about the people involved in this horrific ordeal. Six months later the SARS epidemic broke out in Canada. When travelling to a foreign country remember, emergency medical. Especially if you a travelling to the USA. It is one of the hardest countries to get medical treatment if you are not insured. I am still in Korea, In Jeonju, a city in the North Jeolla province. I work at a university now. Our community here has been well linked for years. We had a fundraiser for the victims of the Tsunami years ago and raise money annually for three children who have no parents. Seoul, like any big city has its share of problems but like everything we have to take responsibility for our own actions. Ask the right questions and verity the answers. Remember we are guests in their country, respect their culture, and their laws. We wouldn’t let guests in our country tell us how to do things or learn Polish so our Polish guests dont have to learn English. I am very saddened by this story and my heart goes out to Bill’s family and friends. May God bless.
November 15th, 2009 at 12:51 am
For me, I do feel safer in Korea than back home. And I know about all the dangers, all the underreported crimes in English, and all the distortions that feed the myth of safety, but nonetheless I feel free to walk through any neighborhood at any time of day.
However, the problem is should anything happen to you, you have nowhere to go, no recourse. Should you be assaulted or something, there’s nothing you can do. I think the rape case out of Ulsan, with the cooperative cops, is an extreme exception, because for the most part you can’t go to them, you can’t expect them to do anything, and you certainly can’t expect any sort of justice.
November 15th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Stephanie, I did not know that about EMT. My experiences with the hospital here have been mostly okay – I broke a bone in my hand, had to have surgery twice. Of course with that, I was still able to get myself to a hospital and I had some Korean people helping me out.
I know there are some really crappy, appalling things about this place. I’m sometimes scared to be here.
November 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
For those who are scared – you know you can leave today right? I mean right now you can pack your bags – get into a taxi – and fly home. You don’t need permission. You don’t have to fill out any paperwork. You can just get up and go.
But you won’t.
You’d rather bitch and moan and be miserable and say things like ‘we’re not safe.’
Why would you stay in a place that isn’t safe? It’s not like your economically destitute and forced to raise 3 kids in the ghetto.
So the question is, if you don’t feel safe, why haven’t you left?
November 19th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Like it or not, this is my home. It’s my choice to try to make it a better place. I don’t pack my bags and go. That’s the coward’s way out.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:16 am
Thoreau – I’m not “bitching and moaning”. My son is DEAD.
He wasn’t afraid – didn’t know the meaning of the word. But he was the victim of a hate crime and deliberate cover up. It is my duty to spread the word.