Korean Job Discussion Forums

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

So I went to cancel my phone contract today before I go home, and was told I can't.

When I signed the contract two years ago, my old hogwan boss co-signed for it cause I'm an evil foreigner who can't be trusted. The money comes out of my bank account for payment every month, not his. I paid for the actual phone, not him. It's my phone.

When I went to cancel it today though, I was told I can't cancel it, he has to. I explained that it was my old boss, we are no longer in contact, and I can't get him to come in. I'm going back to Canada, and want to cancel it so it doesn't run up charges in my name.

She said "Well you must cancel before you go home to Canada, but you can't do it, he has to". I again told her that the phone is under BOTH of our names... mine is right there on the computer along with his. I can't get him to come in and sign, as we are no longer in contact, so if she is so sure I MUST cancel it before I leave, it has to be done by me. She won't budge.

So on the one hand, we foreigners are given a bad rep when it comes to cell phone contracts because we do things like not cancel them, or don't pay them, but when I go in and try to pay my last bill and cancel the contract like a responsible person, I'm told I can't.

I'm so frustrated!

Chicoloco · Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Location: In the ring.

That sucks beyond belief.
Unfortunately I've no helpful advice to give - nothing but bucket loads of sympathy at having to deal with such incompetence.

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

It seems to me your boss should be the one to cancel as it's in his name. You are just the person who graciously being allowed to use it.

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject:

I would be just as upset a you, maybe more so. What's the name of the company so that I know to avoid it. Did you give them a deposit and get it back? I may come across the same situation when & if I cancel my cellphone contract and lose my deposit.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

If it's in his name, won't it be his credit rating that's affected rather than yours? Besides, it's not like they're going to be sending repo men after you.

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

It was two jobs ago now, so I'm no longer in contact with that boss. He doesn't even know I came back to Korea. So there's no way I can cancel the phone, cause I leave on Sunday.

I don't think I paid a deposit. We BOTH signed for the phone, so I paid for my plan that I chose (with a North American calling plan) and for the actual phone.

I went to an LG store in Itaewon to cancel it, and they said they weren't an actual LG store, just kind of used the name so they couldn't cancel it. They said if I went to the "Show" store across the way, I would be able to cancel it. So I went, told her I wanted to cancel it, she said sure. Put in my phone number, saw that there were two names, and then said there was no way I could cancel it without him there in person to sign, since he is the Korean of the two of us. Effin BS if you ask me.

She said if I wanted to, I could go to one of the head offices by Sookmyung Women's University Station to explain my situation, but that she is 99% sure it won't do any good without him there.

So it looks like I'll be one of those "bad" foreigners who leaves the contract running, builds up a debt, and doesn't pay it.

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

I would certainly hope that it'd be his credit rating that's affected rather than mine.

I actually tried to go in and do the right thing to cancel it. I don't think it's my fault they wouldn't let me cause I'm not Korean.

shetan · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Location: In front of my PC.

at least make sure you cancel the payment setup in your bank account so that the payments wont come out of your account.

Also maybe take the phone with you when you leave so no one can run up any charges.

Pretty stupid if your name is on the account.

Also maybe tell the phone company to call him themselves... if they can find him...

I bet they can find him when the bill mounts up!!!!

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

Yeah I'm pretty pissed off. My name is on there too. It comes up on the computer as well. I have identification to prove that I am who I say I am. That should be sufficient.

The woman gave me the distinct impression that I can't do anything to change the account without him there, so I doubt I could stop the payments from coming out of my account. No matter, I just emptied out my account and only have about 8,000 won left in there. Smile

The only thing that makes me really angry, is knowing that Korean's don't have these difficulties in other countries. I asked one of my Korean friends (who lived in Canada for about 6 years) if he ever had trouble or restrictions while setting up a cell phone or bank account while he was there, and he said not once. They wanted proper identification, but besides that, they weren't discriminatory based on his nationality. He was pretty shocked when I told him about the run around that foreigners are sometimes given in this country.

I just really needed to rant. I'm out of here really soon, but I'd hoped that my last few days here would be "incident" free.

espo · Joined: 20 Aug 2006

thats horrible that we can't be trusted, does this happen back in Canada and the US? I don't ever remember having to get someone to co-sign. Anyway you should just cancel your bank account so that payment can't be made. Is this possible?

lucas_p · Joined: 17 Sep 2007

I feel for you. I had nearly the exact same thing when I left last time.

Seems a lot of things here are not fair at all.

(no, my Korean pals back in the US can do whatever they want like a citizen, pretty much (hence part of why they tell me they never want to come back to Korea))

Hanson · Joined: 20 Oct 2004

The exact same thing happened to me a few years back. I couldn't cancel the phone because it was in my Korean friend's name, whom I was no longer in contact with. I asked them if they had my Korean friend's contact details, but they refused to divulge that info.

Solution? I stopped using my phone and stopped paying the bills - I had the bank stop paying the phone bill (direct payment). Miraculously, the phone people got in touch with the Korean friend who got in touch with me. I told him to cancel the phone and that I'd pay him for whatever the last bill was.

It sucks to screw over a friendly Korean who helped me out, but that was the only option I had.

Hope that helps.

Typhoon · Joined: 29 May 2007 Location: Daejeon

Same thing happened to me after my first tour of duty here. I was amazed they wouldn't let me cancel my plan. I told them that no one would be paying the charges that were mounting, but they didn't care. I just smiled and said ok. Funny thing is companies like SK are making all foreigners re-register their phones this week because foreigners are "scaming" the company. Sounds like the company is "scaming" themselves. What a wonderfully logical country.

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

Well my phone is with LG, not SK, but yeah it does sound like that's pretty much what is happening.

I'm too pissed to bother going and giving it another try at a different store. If they want piles of unpaid bills, then that's what they'll get.

I can leave knowing I at least tried to do the right thing!

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Just curious, how do you get the bank to stop direct payment on a bill? Did you just go in and tell them to stop? Seems like that wouldn't work. "Foreigner wants us to stop paying his bills?" With all the funny business going on withi banks and phones, I'd like to know for future reference.