Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hogwonguy1979]

whats really nuts is my us debit card (check card) will not work as a credit card here in korea. I can use it as an atm card as i do throughout the world but when i want to pay for dinner it gets rejected. checked with my bank on numerous occasions and they say its fine, its the korean system, the koreans say its their system thats the problem.

uh korea if it works as an atm card here then maybe the problem is at your end

[jvalmer]

I tried to use my SC-Jaeil Visa check card as a credit card in Singapore a few months ago. I didn't work, but it worked in the ATM's.

Also interesting thing, a few days ago I was "glancing" through a co-teachers credit card statement. Apparently her credit limit is around 5 million won, but if she uses it overseas the credit limit drops down to 1 million won. I guess they also limit Koreans ability to make purchases overseas too.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[DCJames]

[Nabi]

I have reservations over whether the card will work overseas as well even though the bank teller at SC was adamant it will work. So, my plan is to send the card to my mum this week and ask her to withdraw money from a local ATM to test it out. Fingers crossed.

[skconqueror]

[mehamrick]

Well an update to this adventure. I received an email today from the MOF.

[mehamrick]

Well made it into SC today asked to open an account. Went through the paperwork a couple of phone calls to Seoul, and walked out I think with what I wanted. An account, Global ATM card, and I think they said the checkcard is in the mail. Guess we will find out.

On a side note (prepare language filter)

Memo to the c.unt arse b.itch in Seoul that answered the phone at the bank. No not a teller or an employee but a customer. You need to check yourself and your attitude at the f/ucking door. I don't know who the hell you think you are First of all you do not answer a phone at a bank that you don't even work at, go off on somone because you were annoyed by the phone ringing, and just being an overall waste of breath on this planet. I don't know which country you come from but you might want to think about taking the next flight back to it. I am not about violence to women but if I could have reached through the phone I would have broken her neck.. End of rant

[endo]

[rsmm0224]

[Tommy]

Just an update on this..
I went to KB today along with the article from Marmot's
(http://www.rjkoehler.com/2008/02/28/more-on-foreigners-and-banking/) in both English and Korean to get my international ATM card.

When the article quotes the Ministry of Finance and Economy saying, "There is no government policy preventing foreign residents from receiving international bank cards," this is absolutely true. From what I've learned, KB and most other banks are willing to issue international ATM cards, but I was informed they WILL NOT WORK outside of Korea. In fact, turns out I already had one (with the Cirrus logo) but I remember trying it when I was back home last year, with no luck.

At the bank I was told this is due to the Foreign Exchange Control Law... Presumably this is where the foreigner needs to prove their earnings before taking it out of the country. So there's no real point in issuing an international card when they won't work internationally.

Guess I'll check out Standard Chartered.. they've seemed to have magically found a way around this BS. More here

[ttompatz]

[spliff]

[maddog]

If that link is true, it means that the banks themsleves are actively dicriminating against foreigners. But, I guess as E2 holders (most of us), any kind of mass petition or demonstation would be a violation of our visa and, hence, illegal. Sparkling!

MD