Korean Job Discussion Forums

K-in-C · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Heading somewhere

If you have your passbook, but not your debit card, and you want to take money out of your account at a branch location other than your own branch can you do so? I

have some money in an old account but I can not remember the PIN number and would prefer not to travel all the way to another city to access it. I would go into a bank and ask but I am not on the ROK for awhile.

Thanks ahead of time.

K

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Yes, your passbook will work at any branch of your bank.

Xerxes · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:45 am Post subject:

I imagine you've already taken your money out by now, but yes, you just need the signature or the stamp that you used to make it and you can access your money from any branch of the same banking institution.

If you've lived in Korea as long as I have, it's not a bad idea to give your name and stamp/signature and ask if you have any inactive accounts still under your name. Close out those accounts and you could end up with enough money for a dinner out, or more.

K-in-C · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Heading somewhere

Xerxes · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:16 am Post subject:

You can access any bank account you've had in the past, yes, as long as you can verify you are who you claim to be, via identification, identification numbers, and your stamp/signature.

Did this myself and had a nice dinner out of it. The next week, my wife did that for the both of us at most all of the banks that we ever thought we had an account at.

Interestingly, it will allow you to get access to money that other people have opened accounts in via your name, as in identity theft. You could strike it lucky, although I have no family here who would do that, but some of the Gyopo might find themselves a nice little nest egg, or a fortune, and all that money is legally yours and the loser has to just bite the bullet. The other people would open account under your name to duck taxes or to hide earnings/assets.

Hagwon owners routinely hide money in hidden accounts to avoid taxes and hide earnings. Many teachers send their passport scans as part of their applications. Many bankers are complicit in the national pastime, and look the other way.

You would essentially be stealing money, but it would be legally, and it would be from somebody who was trying to steal money first (from the tax coffers).

The ethical issues are a little gray and grayer here. Hell, the whole country is legally gray. Rolling Eyes