grad school graduate street cleaner

Chosun Ilbo pays attention to the case in which the application and acceptance of a 42-year old grad school for a post as street cleaner (hwan'gyông mihwawôn) has been raising attention in Gangneung. 계속된 경기침체로 심각한 취업난이 계속되고 있는 가운데 이씨의 이같은 지원은 씁쓸하고 긴 여운을 남기기도 하지만 가족들을 위한 용기있는 선택이라는 지적도있었다. Eighteen of the 114 applicants for the eight posts were graduates from at least 2-year universities. One detail: those with parents to take care of were given precendence in the selection (or actually, the applications of those without parents or other family to take care of were not even screened). One can see pieces of news like this every now and then; these are very good when the bad state of economy needs to be emphasized: even grad school graduates need to apply for a street cleaning job. (And the courage of the person in question is admirable.) Categories at del.icio.us/hunjang: work ∙ stratification ∙ employment