Korean Job Discussion Forums

mysterious700 · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

I am a public school teacher and have been here for slightly more than 2 years. I keep meeting foriegners like me who get them from their bank. However, I keep getting told by my bank it isn't possible. I'm with Nonghyup. Is it another bank I should go through? I hear KEB is really good with foriegners but not sure if that applies to the credit card issue. Also what about getting your check card to work in foriegn countries? My bank keeps telling me it will work and when i go to use it, it doesn't. I really hate these stupid morons that that tell me lies all the time. Is it the company or just the moron branch I am dealing with?

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

I hear that teachers can get a Samsung card. Don't know the specifics. I can ask my friend who got one up here in Nowon. But, I am sure that someone else will chime in or post the link to a thread that already discussed this issue.

I just used a search feature that one of the other users made. Here are the results that I got.

http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=006359271486458796786%3A_ooozypbm6u

Beeyee · Joined: 29 May 2007

KEB will give you a card, no problems.

DeLaRed · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

Standard chartered in Itawon or KEB

cruisemonkey · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 10:56 pm Post subject:

Weird... Nonghyup gave me an 'International' MasterCard... and even increased the credit limit when I asked.

I have come to the conclusion that K banks are like K Immi - three different people/branches: three different answers!

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

With a little luck and perseverance.

GoldMember · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

I know a dude that has a wallet full of Korean credit cards. Not once did he post on Dave's asking where or how can I get a credit card. Now here is an idea you may not have thought of, just go into some different banks and branches and just ask. Difficult huh!

Che · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Location: Somewhere near you

You might like to go to the Joong Ang Ilbo website (English site).They published an article last week on this subject.It was written by somebody from the KEB Desk at the Seoul Global English centre.Basically three ways of qualifying with KEB:
!.Employees at primary schools or colleges /universities *may* be eligible if they qualify???
2.Open a time savings account with KEB and get a credit limit of 90% of your deposit (but that cash is then tied up)
3.Apply on the basis of your credit rating which is based on your KEB payroll account, deposit or remittance transactions (always presuming you bank with them).
Hope this helps but if you live outside Seoul I wouldn't hold my breath.

mysterious700 · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

Enigma · Joined: 20 Mar 2008

I have an account with Nonghyup at a small branch in Daejeon and I work at a hagwon. I've lived in Korea just over a year, and I'm now in Gangwondo.
I was in Seoul last weekend and I went to that Seoul Global Center near City Hall. As I was leaving I noticed a Nonghyup branch in the same building so I went to try and get a credit card. Although they had to do some checking first about the rules regarding foreigners, they gave me a Mastercard that should work internationally.
So if you've been here 2 years and work at a public school, you should definitely be able to get one.

I had the same problem with Nonghyup's check card. They assured both me and my boss that I could use it abroad. I tried in Singapore, and it wouldn't work. I called them when I got back, and they couldn't explain why it didn't work. They assured me that it would work when I went back to Canada for a couple weeks. It didn't. I tried several times at several different banks (each with the appropriate logo Maestro/Cirrus logo) and again it didn't work.
When I got the credit card, the people there explained that those check cards are only for Koreans.

Greekfreak · Joined: 25 May 2003

Rules have changed over the years; my school is connected with Nonghyup, who are in turn obligated to give (upon request) all teachers a credit card. They're only good for a year, and I have had numerous problems using them in Canada, Vietnam, and Indonesia. And it does say "international credit card" on the front of it.

In Canada it worked maybe 80% of the time. In Vietnam, about 50% of the time, and less than 20% of the time in Indonesia. I've just obtained a KEB card and provided you have a bank account with them, you're able to use it in any country. I remain skeptical, but won't be able to check out their theory until the winter. I found the Nonghyup card worked most of the time when processing online transactions, but was less effective in person. Somewhat retarded.

Just keep some back up cash handy when travelling abroad.

poet13 · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 10:30 pm Post subject:

I got one from KB bank, but I have a bunch of money with them also. it took me YEARS.