Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lepid gecko]

Apparently my bank (koram bank) has recently changed the rules about sending money back home, and want salary certification from my school. this should be a simple enough, except I know it could take some time for my boss to get it organised and I can't afford extra delay sending money home (one transfer away from killing my student loan, and a hefty interest rate).
Anyone else have problems with this recently, and do I have any quick alternatives?

[hellofaniceguy]

Never heard that one before! Change banks!
Or just give them a copy of your contract...it is "certified" by immigration when they gave you the visa.

[ulsanchris]

send a money order. Go to korean exchange bank get a money order send to a family member via express post and have them deposit it in your bank account.

should take a few days

[the eye]

agreed with ulsanchris.

transfers are often more expensive than money orders.
it is not abnormal for korean banks to ask for certification....but some banks here don't.

[lepid gecko]

ok, good call. i might do both...they've been charging quite a bit more for transfers than what i've read about other banks here.

[spliff]

Go to a different bank, such as Korean Exchange Bank! Or, have a Korean send it in their name...I do it all the time!

[Cymro]

Hana bank used to ask me for my contract, payment slip and passport every time I sent money home. They used to write the amount I'd sent in the back of my passport, which I took a couple of times, but I never took my contract there.

Wonderland would show up on their computer screen with the amount I'd been paid so I argued there was no need for me to bring any more proof. They used to tell me it was the law, but then I discovered KEB (Korea Exchange Bank). I swore at the Hana staff and closed my account when I changed jobs. Now I take a wad of cash to KEB every once in a while and they transfer to my bank at home, no questions asked, just they ask to see my registration card, and I don't even have an account there.

If they can do it without having to see contract, payment record, passport, etc. then it surely is not required by law. Maybe showing them the registration card is enough for the authorities to keep a track of your cash flows?

I heard later though that my hagwon director was friends with the manager at Hana bank, who would tip him off if teachers were making a suspicious amount of cash or if they emptied their account as if ready to do a runner.

I used to hate that bank purely for the fact that they always asked me my "SECRET number", which they'd then make a note of!

[lepid gecko]

yeah cymro, good plan. it's what i'm going to do.
is there a limit on how much cash you can send in one go?

[Cymro]

Not so far as I know, and I've not heard of anyone else having any problems there.

[yangtheman]

[Blue Meanie]

I get asked every time i go for my passport, my pay slip,my bank book and my cash card . It's ridicolous and really annoys me, i live in a small village so it's not as if they don't know me either. The teller always makes a big fuss if i send home more than i earned too-do they not realise that there is such a hting as SAVING your money so you only pay one surcharge.... and maybe ...just maybe! your not raking it in doing privates...

[kylehawkins2000]

You may have some extra paperwork if you want to transfer more thatn 10 000 american dollars in the course of a year. If you go over that amount you have to show some proof that it accounts for less than 60% of your salary. I think I read this in the lonely planet book but I could be mistaken.

[Ryst Helmut]

[Ryst Helmut]

[Hollywoodaction]