Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mack4289]

Yeah, the thread title's a little sensationalistic, but there's a lot of truth to it. I got this text from SK Telecom today:

Please visit your nearest sales agency before March 31st to confirm your registraton. Your mobile phone usage will be restricted without the confirmation.

I didn't know what they were talking about so I called the number of the text and it turns out SK is shutting off any phones being used by people who didn't register for them. Some people were using pre-paid phones for scams so SK decided that anyone using a phone not registered in their own name would have service shut off in a month. If I want to have a phone after March 31st, I'll have to buy another one.

I bought my phone from another foreigner in February of last year, a girl I didn't know. It hasn't been a problem until now that my phone was registered under her name. I explained this to the customer service guy and he was really nice but told me there was nothing he could do and no one higher up that I could talk to. Basically SK is forcing me to buy another phone because of something I had nothing to do with. Well done, SK.

[mrsquirrel]

Can you not just go in and register your details to that phone number?

[mack4289]

No, because the original owner isn't here and she has to agree to the transfer.

An update about this: the editor of the JA Daily said he's interested in doing a story about this. If you're having this problem with SK, send an email to him at [email protected]

[nomad-ish]

crap, looks like i got that too. last week i received a series of messages from sk telecom, but figured it was some dumb promotion so i started deleting them. by the time i realized it was important, i was down to the last (the ending) of the messages.

i just called the number at the bottom, but it was all in korean. all i could understand was waegookin....

[piratebryan]

is this only with SK?

i JUST bought a phone from the friend of a girl at my school. both are leaving on saturday. i haven't had it activated yet as i just got the phone. wondering if i can go to another provider instead of sk.

[mistermasan]

i haven't been able to call the US on my SK phone for sometime. is this somehow related?

[moosehead]

wow - that's quite a tale - I bought my phone back in 2004 - and allegedly it was re-registered into my name - a prepaid rechargeable phone.

then I started buying time for it and noticed another person's name on it - I made an issue of it how it was supposed to have been in my name - for over 3 years I fought back and forth w/SK about this - finally I put my foot down in one of their offices and said they were going to re-register it THAT DAY in my name the way it was supposed to be, no if's and's or buts

the thing is - someone always would tell me that it had been changed but then when I'd go and buy time, they'd check and no it wasn't !!


now this is the clincher and why my story is relevant to the OP's post:

SK's excuse was always it really didn't matter whose name the phone was in!!! and why did I even care??

I insisted some day it MIGHT make a difference and since it was SUPPOSED to be registered in my name - then come on and do it CORRECTLY .

Turns out that was the right thing to do. Yes, it's in my name now. Only took 3 1/2 years to happen

great customer service, yeah....

[mack4289]

Here's some other emails:

Chun Sung Woo, Foreign news editor at the Korea Herald: [email protected]

Customer service at SK Telecom: 011-200-9000, [email protected]

[Kim Jong Jordan]

i got that message but couldn't care less because as of march 20th i'll be gone forever.

[Arthur Dent]

Yes, I had that message in Korean and then a cut off version in English. I called and heard the same story about the new law. When I wanted more details the lady, who was quite nice, couldn't speak well enough to explain. She put me on hold then came back and said that the English speaker was busy and would call me later. She did, but couldn't tell me what kind of scams these people were running.
Why you would have a system that would allow a phone to be in anyone else's name to begin with, I don't know. I bought a used/revamped one over 4 years ago in my own name but it finally bit the dust. I am now on my third phone. I'll go in tomorrow and confirm my ownership of the phone. My question is; does anyone know what kind of scams were performed? I can imagine they ran the gamut - but can anyone give me a for-instance?

[whatever]

Is this only in the case of pre-paid, in your experience? (...couldn't tell for sure from the posts thus far)

I'm with a competitor, but I'd fill in my coworkers--who are all with SKT on contracts in our directors' name--if that's the case.

thanks

[crazy_arcade]

Again,

I fail to comprehend why anyone chooses to use SK's service.

THEY AREN'T INTERESTED IN YOUR BUSINESS so don't give it to them.

Both KT and LGT are immeasurably better in regards to their business practices vis a vis non-Koreans.

[valkerie]

Yeah, I posted about this on Monday as I went in to follow up the text messages and was told I have only a month left to use my phone.

Mine has had 2 previous owners and the original one is back in France so no chance of changing the name over.

Mine is a pre-paid phone, dunno if contract types are affected.

If this IS a new law then surely it would apply to all companies? (And not everyone I know using SK has had the messages...which is weird.)

Blinking nuisance.

[mrsquirrel]

Sure if you go into a shop stamp your feet a bit they will change it over.

[Typhoon]

It seems like Korea is trying to make life more difficult for foreigners by the day. Man, I have never heard of or seen a country as anti-foreigner as Korea is. Banks, gov't, police, phone companies, hagwons, and the list goes on. I keep reading how Korea is getting foreigner friendly, but I have yet to see any real changes that make life better for foreigners here. Boo on Korea.