Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

I read in the Korean Herald that we will be allowed international debit cards any truth to this?

[mehamrick]

[Bibbitybop]

Debit cards? Or ATM cards?

I have an International ATM card. Some foreigners have trouble getting them. Standard Chartered bank (SC First bank) has a good reputation for treating foreigners like customers. KB does not.

[chaz47]

I'm with Uri.

I don't have a link.

I'm interested because I'm about to go on vacation and my debit card from the US has expired. So, sending money to my US account is pointless as I'll land and have no access to the cash-ola.

(I plan to stay with a friend away from my family and home bank for a couple weeks.)

What are some alternatives in the interim? Traveler's checks? A Korean credit card?

[MA_TESOL]

I recently asked KB for one and they were quite adamant in stating that a foreigner can not be issued one-that was in Itaewan

[Bibbitybop]

[seoulsucker]

[chaz47]

So... help me out here, what are some alternatives for money while traveling. How much can I take in traveler's checks? The whole concept seems so antiquated. I know more that $200 in cash is a no no... right?

[vlcupper]

I know for a fact the silver ATM KB card works outside of Korea. I used it in Japan and Thailand. Unfortunately I made the mistake of getting the green one, and I found out the hard way this weekend it doesn't work on the outside.

I've never had a problem getting cards in Korea.

[DCJames]

[articulate_ink]

The search feature on here sucks but the 'find all messages by this user' feature is fine. I've contributed to most of the recent threads on this topic. They're not that old and they contain a lot of valuable information, in case you haven't read them yet.

If your card was issued more than a year ago, it might work overseas and it might not. Some people have said their international access was turned off and the bank didn't notify them first. Others are still able to withdraw money from their Korean accounts from outside of the country.

If you've tried to get a card in the last year or so, odds are it won't work overseas. In some cases this is true even if you've been told otherwise. This happened to me when I set up an account with Nonghyup last year.

Standard Chartered issued me an international ATM card. It has worked in four or five countries so far. In Korea it is a Visa debit card (check card) as well, but outside of the Land of the Morning Vomit Puddle the check card feature isn't available. Others on here have said SC would not issue international cards to them at all.

Here are the work-arounds that I know of:

1. Wire money back to your home account. If you closed yours before coming over here, that was a mistake.

2. Take cash and keep it in the hotel safe. I don't like travelling with large amounts of cash, although I had to do it on one trip last year before I went to SC.

3. Use credit cards. (Assuming you can get one.)

From what I've read on here, I would not recommend traveller's checks from Korean banks.

If you're planning on staying here a while, or you're going to be an expat even if you're not staying in Korea, and can't or don't want to bank in your home country, I'd strongly encourage you to open an offshore account. The banking situation here for foreign customers is deplorable.

11 more days of this bullshit and I'm on the plane.

Good luck.

[kprrok]

I'm just curious how foreign countries can get international debit cards from Korean banks??? Does the US government have the right to get a card for the country of the USA? Can Germany get one? How do they sign the receipts?

KPRROK

[Tommy]

[articulate_ink]

[CabbageTownRoyals]

I'm with Woori bank and have had an int. debit card for one year now. Mind you, it TOTALLY depends on the teller you're dealing with and if they're having a good day. I was denied by one so just went to another branch and got it