Korean Job Discussion Forums

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

I am going to get my sealed transcripts and CBC rushed to me here in Seoul. I remember from some other posts that people said Fed Ex or DHL had opened their transcripts, thus voiding them.
Anyone have any recent experience successfully getting your sealed transcripts here unopened? Did you use / have trouble with Fed Ex or DHL?

halfmanhalfbiscuit · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Location: Seoul

I've heard that too but can't remember which company nor the excuse used for opening your private documents.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:12 pm Post subject:

I find it extremely difficult to believe anyone connected with the courier company had opened the transcripts.

The most likely scenario was that Customs had opened them because a dog signaled an officer there were residual traces of THC on the envelope/package. A note of explanation would have been enclosed� of course, it would be written in Korean and the receiver probably couldn�t read it.

Always have transcripts sent directly from your university.

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

I think that the case is that either Fed Ex or DHL opens everything before putting it in their own envelope, as a standard practice. That's how I remember the previous poster's complaints. I didn't mean to imply any malicious or suspicious reasons for the transcripts being opened.

I am now leaning toward USPS Express Mail International service. They provide the tracking that I want since the CBC is so important. Of course, that tracking becomes useless once it hits the Korea Post system, so maybe Fed Ex or DHL is the way to go.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

passport220 · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province

DHL built its business in Asia and may have a better reputation with officials (some say bribes) to avoid having packages opened. I have used them with no problems several times in the past.

Nemo · Joined: 28 May 2006

FEDEX has opened my sealed transcripts before.

Another time, they lost my package with transcripts in them.

These events happened using international priority.

Within the US, I had many packages sent and received, with no problems except one time, when I sent a Xmas present Next Day Priority and it arrived at the destination just before New Year's Day!).