Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ChimpumCallao]

its official...@ least @ wori...

no cards to FOREIGNERS because they take out TOO MUCH OF THEIR OWN MONEY overseas. This is supposedly Korean law now.

[merlot]

I got one recently at Hanna Bank, no problem.

The rules here, as it seems, are made up as they go; or, they are custom-tailored to suit the interest (at the moment) of the banker/cook/immigration office worker/bartender/hogwon director/policeman/store owner/airline counter person/customs official/girlfriend/boyfriend/stranger on the street, etc...

[kalbi]

My international Kookmin ATM Card which used to work all over the world failed to work in about 8 foreign countries (including the US) in the last year. Kookmin explained to me that the rules have changed and that while Koreans can stil have international ATM cards, that foreigners are not allowed to.

A family member has an ATM card on a companion Kookmin account and her card still works outside of Korea.

I went to a Korea Exchange Bank in Myoung Dong last week to open an accoutn so that I could get one of their international ATM cards whcih supposedly still work. I was told that their ATM cards could not be used overseas.

oh-took-ay???

[Gord]

[cruisemonkey]

[hack]

Damm, I get antsy every time I read a thread like this because I have cards from most of the banks mentioned here and plan to use them as the way to get the rest of my money out of Korea after I leave next week. So far, 2 of them still work as I have sent them to someone I trust back home and they have been taking a couple thou a week out of my accounts here. And 2 of them won't work. The funny thing is that 1 that works and 1 that doesn't is the same bank although different branches and accounts.
It will be interesting to see if they really do put the clamps on all foreigner withdrawals from ATMs outside Korea because even though it seems many people are stumped now, others are still having no problems

[Cedar]

[cruisemonkey]

Any card with a 'Cirus' or 'Plus' symbol on the back should work at any ATM displaying the same symbol anywhere in the world. However, even if one's card and the machine display the same symbol, a complicating factor may be the number of digits in one's PIN - last year I had to 'reprogram' my Royal Bank of Canada card from a five-digit to a four-digit PIN to be able to use it in South America.

[SarcasmKills]

[cruisemonkey]

The operative word in my sentence is "should".

[itaewonguy]

[truthfulchat]

I think right now only the ATMs from Bank of America take Maestro but you can deposit and withdrawel as usual with them. I do want to note there is a quite bit of charge for using foreign cards.

[poet13]

My KB has cirrus and maestro on it, but it doesnt work anywhere outside of Korea. It's almost 3 years old.

[Hollywoodaction]

Well, I know who I'm not voting for in the next local elections (yes, us F-5 visa holders have that right).

[big_fella1]

My understanding is that there is no law that says foreigners can't have an international access card but all banks have at the same time 'decided' there is. I am wondering if this is a Fair Trading Commission (FTC) issue as almost all banks have decided this simultaneously.

I have an Standard Chartered check card which has worked in Hong Kong, Japan, and New Zealand.

Today I am going to do battle with Woori and will update here with the result.

BTW I am not a lawyer in any jurisdiction and my belief that there is no law stems from what I was told a government official said at the Seoul Town meeting on Friday 2 weeks ago.