Korean Job Discussion Forums

Morton · Joined: 06 Mar 2007

I was wondering how people felt about their bank in Korea. I am currently with Nonghyup who have not impressed me during the time i have been with them. Therefore when i return after the new year to a new job i am going to open a new account with a different bank.
Can anyone recommend a bank to go with, perhaps they have a good level of service, or they have an English helpline.
I am also looking for a bank that will give me a debit card allowing me to discontinue using my credit card as much.

Thanks.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Yes, very pleased.

eddie1983man · Joined: 31 May 2007

I'm with daegu bank, and am very pleased with them, most of the clerks speak fluent english and I have never had any problems whatsoever.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

I am happy - I have nonghyup and Woori. The other day I actually utilised Nonghyup's Interpreter Service and the woman at the other end of the phone spoke pretty good English. I was rambling on and on and she understood me!

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:22 am Post subject:

Nope, I'm made to feel uncomfortable and it's time consuming to get service at my local KEB. They don't want to talk to me and provide service, because their depressed apathetic attitude shows it. I know these are young low paid bank tellers who are bored out of their skulls so I work with them and usually get what I need. It just requires patience. You want to buy currency and T/C's, you get super slow service with many questions of why you want this or that where it takes an hour to buy a little currency. They even asked me where I was traveling to when I requested cash currencies. You want $100 USD, you get 40 if you're super lucky. Serious. You want to use the coin counting machine, you're told it's broken and to go to another bank.

articulate_ink · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 8:48 am Post subject:

Standard Chartered. They'll issue a Visa check card that will enable you to make cashless point-of-sale purchases within Korea, and will let you withdraw cash from your account when you're travelling abroad. I opened an account with them a couple of months ago. So far so good.

I've had good experiences with KEB, for the most part. I've done business at various Bundang branches, as well as Suji, Byeongjeom, Itaewon, and a couple of others. My only complaints are the lack of the international ATM card (which is a ubiquitous problem) and their absurd online banking.

I also have accounts at Nonghyup and Shinhan but will be closing them soon. Shinhan wouldn't even issue a check card, just a stupid cash card that only works in Korea. At Nonghyup, the teller told me the card would work abroad, and it didn't. Bite me.

In about 3 weeks, I'm going to Singapore to open a bank account. That is probably the best indicator of my opinion of banking in Korea.

pandemic902 · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Dorim-dong, Seoul

It really all depends on your relationship with the 'foreign exchange' people on staff. I had citibank last year and I could not do anything in a reasonable time frame and there was constant miscommunication to the extent that I would have to drag my director downstairs EVERY time to translate.

This year, I'm with Nonghyup. The two guys I deal with are great, have a laugh about all the stupid rules at the expense of the bureaucracy, and even set me up with a Mastercard and online banking, no problem!

blade · Joined: 30 Jun 2007

Banks here aren't that bad for the most part and unlike Japan where ATM's don't even have English menu's.
The only thing that bothers me is that I have to get a letter from my boss to send money home in this day and age is ridiculous.

Scarlet13 · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Changwon

I like KEB. No issues sending home money, or getting a debit card and they all speak English.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 6:13 am Post subject:

BigBuds · Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Location: Changwon

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

KEB has a few branches in changwon.

The most foreigner-friendly one is across the big road from the Canberra Hotel.

They deal with a lot of foreigners there and that is where all the big hotels send them if they have any money questions.

I have been there on many occasions and never had a problem....

nomad-ish · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject:

The_Conservative · Joined: 15 Mar 2007

ella · Joined: 17 Apr 2006

I'm happy with my bank. There's a teller who speaks English well and has time for me any time I drop in. Very accommodating and has gone out of his way to help me with some banking issues.