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| Do you have an international debit card from a Korean bank? |
| Yes |
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48% |
[ 63 ] |
| No |
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27% |
[ 36 ] |
| Yes but it didn't work overseas |
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9% |
[ 12 ] |
| Never tried to get one |
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13% |
[ 18 ] |
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| Total Votes : 129 |
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inthewild
Joined: 28 Mar 2004
Location: Korea
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 Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:14 am Post subject: |
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| real merry hijackers wrote: |
i got one from sc (when it was kfb) a few years ago without asking for it. then got one from ibk but was told it won't work outside. before my last trip i went back to sc and they guaranteed me it would work, and it did, in beijing at least. i assume elsewhere.
last spring my friend got an 'intl' card from kb. i told him they sometimes won't work. he asked at his bank and they swore it would work, but alas, it didn't. had to wire him money in indonesia and then again in laos. got to try out western union- great service, but too expensive.
the sc card was from a branch in bongcheon, and when i checked with them again, the branch outside mokdong station. |
Ya the international card I got from KB doesn't work internationally like they said it would. Doh. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| Poll is flawed... should be for people not married to a Korean. Also, I have a pre-ban ATM card that worked earlier this year, still. Wasn't able to get another through Woori since the ban (until I married). |
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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:46 am Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
| Poll is flawed... should be for people not married to a Korean. Also, I have a pre-ban ATM card that worked earlier this year, still. Wasn't able to get another through Woori since the ban (until I married). |
It should be for people not married to a Korean. |
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movybuf
Joined: 01 Jan 2007
Location: Mokdong
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
| Poll is flawed... should be for people not married to a Korean. Also, I have a pre-ban ATM card that worked earlier this year, still. Wasn't able to get another through Woori since the ban (until I married). |
I AM married to a Korean and they still wouldn't let me have an international ATM card. |
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Davew125
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| If anyone lives in the South, kyongnam bank offer an international visa card to foreigners (that does actually work!!). My girlfriend and I both have one. At first they said it wasnt possible but then i went in with my gyopo friend who got one for us in a matter of minutes, so i guess it was. |
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Lunar Groove Gardener
Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Location: 1987 Subaru
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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Standard Chartered(SC) is the one bank that I've heard of with a consistent policy which favours offering foreign customers this service.
Some people have limited luck with various branches of Shinan, KB, Nonghyup etc(but these cards sometimes don't function oversees or are canceled without notice), but just as many or more have the typical story of being told "it's impossible in Korea for a foreigner..."(in a very friendly manner).
Give your business to the one place which offers this rather essential service to all foreign workers and it might one day get noticed by other Korean banks.
What's the rationale behind assuming that putting the debit card in my hands is riskier than it is in the hands of a Hanguk Saram? |
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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Lunar Groove Gardener wrote: |
| What's the rationale behind assuming that putting the debit card in my hands is riskier than it is in the hands of a Hanguk Saram? |
Banks Cite Non-existent Law on Expat Cards
By Kim Soe-jung and Park Yeon-soo, JoongAng Daily (January 28, 2008)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2885625
| Quote: |
"I never said the banks should not issue international ATM cards. I just told them that the amount that can be withdrawn from a local domestic transaction account should be limited to $10,000 per exit from the country, under the laws on foreign currency transactions," said Lee.
The limit on domestic accounts was set to prevent foreigners from withdrawing large sums from a local account to avoid taxes.
"Some banks, which had issued the international debit card before, might have stopped because it would cost extra for them to establish a separate system to limit the amount foreigners can withdraw," said Lee.
Yoo Jeong-yoon, a public relations officer at Kookmin Bank, said, "If foreigners withdraw money with their ATM card overseas, we cannot control the limit. So our bank does not issue the card to foreigners."
But there is almost no consistency, even within the same bank. A branch of Korea Exchange Bank in southern Seoul said that it does not issue the overseas card to foreigners. A branch of Shinhan Bank near City Hall said a foreigner has to wait for three months after opening an account to receive the card. But a Shinhan branch in Wonju, Gangwon said it can issue the card immediately.... |
Underground Economy Accounts for 30% of GDP
By Park Hyong-ki, The Korea Times (January 17, 2008)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/01/123_17466.html
image url: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/news/080117_p01_underground.jpg
| Quote: |
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) estimated that the underground economy accounts for about 30 percent of the GDP....
The underground economy, or black market, refers to businesses that are conducted illegally out of the government's radar to evade taxes through untraceable settlement methods such as money laundering or cash transactions.
The chamber said Korea's underground economy is one of the worst among OECD economies, ranking 43rd out of 145. The underground economy in the United States accounts for about 8.4 percent of its GDP; 10.8 percent for Japan; 13.1 percent for Singapore; 15.6 percent for China; and 16.6 percent for Hong Kong.... |
Transparency International Says Korea's Corruption Worsens
By Kim Tae-jong, Korea Times (September 26, 2007)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/09/117_10820.html
A society awash in scandal
Corruption is common in South Korea, where competition is ruthless and success means all
Bruce Wallace, Los Angeles Times via Toronto Star (December 07, 2007)
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/283425
Deception Sums Up Year of 2007
By Kim Tae-jong, Korea Times (December 23, 2007)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/12/117_16011.html |
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hogwonguy1979
Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 6:21 am Post subject: |
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at the last "town hall' meeting the seoul govt had for foreigners IN APRIL (because they are too afraid to have another one because of the a ss chewing they have gotten from foreigners at the past 2) they said it would be resolved by June.
they just didnt say June of what year.
OTOH, KEB was actively soliciting new accounts at a friends univ saying they will give int check cards. me friend showed me hers and it looks identical to the my visa check card issued by my bank in the states. whether it works outside of korea remains to be seen
i'm still using my old univ id card from 3 years ago which works as an int atm card and did as recently as this past aug |
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justaguy
Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 8:08 am Post subject: |
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What do people have against using cash or travelers checks?
I understand people want to be able to access their money. But why not take it with you in cash or travelers checks? Then you don't have to waste your time looking for an ATM. You don't have to get upset, or deal with all the bullshit. You can spend it immediately wherever you go.
Considering how much plastic is in people's wallets, you would think people would want less plastic not more. |
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CaseyOK
Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| I was able to get one through Pusan Bank in Haeundae. I had read posts about the difficulties involved in obtaining an international debit card. I brought along an agressive Korean friend. My friend argued with the teller for a little bit, but I got the card on my first try. I suggest this method as it involves very little effort on your part. |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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| justaguy wrote: |
What do people have against using cash or travelers checks?
I understand people want to be able to access their money. But why not take it with you in cash or travelers checks? Then you don't have to waste your time looking for an ATM. You don't have to get upset, or deal with all the bullshit. You can spend it immediately wherever you go.
Considering how much plastic is in people's wallets, you would think people would want less plastic not more. |
Plastic doesn't take up as much space as cash.
Tested mine out in Canada today. The message on the bank machine was something like "your bank will not permit this transaction".  I wasn't counting on it anyway, I don't keep my money in Korea. If I need plastic, I've got Canadian plastic. |
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Captain Marlow
Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Location: darkness
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| Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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| yep... got it a year ago at daegu bank in jisan-dong/beommul-dong (in daegu, of course)... cost 3,000... just got back from traveling for a month in taiwan and cambodia and it worked in each country... it has the cirrus and the maestro logo, so any atm that had these listed were good to go (most had them listed)... it's only an atm card, so i couldn't use it as a debit card... oh well... |
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Papa Smurf
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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| i got visa from WOORI. electronic use only though. took about 15-20 minutes. the guy spoke great english. haven't tried it overseas but 1 imagine, as its a visa, it will work. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:18 am Post subject: |
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| I have been given the usual runaround by KB Bank. |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:53 am Post subject: |
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My option that is not listed:
I got an international ATM card from Shinhan 3 years ago. It worked overseas (Thailand, Japan, Canada) no problem. Then I lost my passbook. Went in for a new passbook, while I was there got their new all-in-one wondercard (or whatever they call it). Tried the wondercard overseas and it didn't work. Tried my original int'l ATM card and that no longer worked either.
So put me down for a "I had one that worked, then they deactivated it a year later" |
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