Korean Job Discussion Forums

[smoggy]

I went to wire transfer $ and after 1.5 hours, they still couldn't do it. They claim that the Swift number is wrong. Bank of America has such a simple Swift - BOFAUS37, that no one should be able to screw it up - but KB had problems. I pulled out the money and walked to KEB, and they opened an account for me and did the wire transfer in less than 15 mins. Since my school uses KB, I will have them write a check every pay day, and deposit it into KEB. KB is so inept. Can't believe it. The transfer was cheaper at KEB as well.

[OiGirl]

[CentralCali]

Your school's paying you in checks (actually, they're single denomination, 100,000 won, money orders)? Why not have direct deposit to the new bank?

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

KB, in general, seem to receive so many complaints on here for branches right throughout the country. I've had KB tell me I couldn't, as a foreigner, send money AT ALL (I was only sending the piddly sum of W400.000.) A seperate occasion the bank worker just pretended I didn't even exist when she couldn't figure out how to send money. I was left just sitting at the counter whilst people were bypassed around me. I had to shout to get re-acknowledged.Yeah, I'm still here. Yeah, you've still got my 5 million won!!! What else with KB....an ATM closed at 8pm processing my 50K withdrawl but not giving the money, and bank staff have written in my passport

My latest drama is SC bank who want to see my wedding certificate before allowing me to open a stock standard bank account.

Korean banks are a pain. (Though KEB and Uri Bank seem to have the best present reputation)

[egrog1717]

I go to the KB outside my school all the time... Never had a hassle there.
Had it set up so I could send money home using an ATM... Been there twice to change Won to Yen without a problem...
Must be a branch thing...

[Julius]

My KB branch were quite happy to grant me an int. credit card which has been useful for ordering stuff online at least. Drawback has been though I have a 1M limit.. and have to keep 1M deposit in there. So they haven't actually given me a cent of credit. And then it needs renewing every new contract.

[big_fella1]

[smoggy]

Thanks for your comments, but the school has used that bank for years, and won't make a separate deposit for me. I'll just get them to write a counter check, or put the $ in my purse, and walk it over. Meanwhile, the transferred $ is in the US (within a day.)

[pjmancktelow]

KEB is such a great bank in my opinion. everything they've done for me has been top drawer. i find the english is also pretty good. i just changed my account to an 'expat accound' so all the bank books, statements etc are now in english. also if you live in seoul and can get to the itaewon branch they have lots of staff fluent in enlgish. the internet banking is also pretty simple to setup, i think they just changed it to make it easier first time.