Korean Job Discussion Forums

[yingwenlaoshi]

So I went to Shin Han today to withdraw some money at the counter because I forgot my bank card at home. Had my passport and bankbook and she gets all confused. The passport number in their database is the old one. I have since gotten a new passport (in November 2007). Anyway, I told her that it didn't matter and to just give me my money and another woman came up and she explained the situation to her. I was told that it's their policy that they can't give me my money. Told them that I have withdrawn money personally and at the bank machine many times, but that didn't seem to faze them. They want to see my old passport.

Now don't you think that's just stupid? I have my signature and pin number. Anytime I've gone to the counter, I've had to punch in my pin number. No one has ever mentioned anything about my passport number being different.

I told them that they were thinking too much. Proof is in my picture, signature and pin number. What a bunch of wankers.

[MollyBloom]

Which one did you go to? In my experience, the best branches in terms of customer service are:

1. in Daechi-dong next to KimBapChunGuk ...get off at Daechi Station

2. in Gangnam on Gangnamdaero right across from the SinNonHyeon Bus Stop

3. in Jamwon-dong on Gangnamdaero across from the Sinsa Station bus stop

I have exchanged won into dollar with no questions or passport needed or passport stamping, opened my online account (website access, really), gotten ATM help, transferred money to my account back home, etc.

[climber159]

I can use my KEB and Hana bankbooks to access my money through the ATMs. Is this not the case with a Shinhan bankbook?

[Rusty Shackleford]

Why did you show them your passport? You gave them too much information and like you say, they thought about it too much.

[Hyeon Een]

The problem is your bank account is linked to a specific piece of ID, and when it changes they can't cope and explode. They need to make a copy of the ID, and if it's the 'wrong' ID then no-go.

I had a similar problem when I tried to withdraw money using my bankbook and passport. The reason I was doing this was because I'd lost my wallet containing my bank cards, ARC etc. The woman at the desk told me I couldn't withdraw any money unless I had my Alien card, because that's the ID my account is linked to. I explained that I'd lost my alien card along with my bank cards and all my cash, and there was no way I was going to get a new alien card unless I had some money to pay for a replacement one. We argued for a while until she found out I used to live in her hometown and she decided to break the rules and help me. An incredibly frustrating morning but it worked itself out in the end.

[yingwenlaoshi]

It all depends on who you get. I've lost my wallet before containing my alien and bank cards. They wouldn't let me get the bank card without the ARC. Tried when I was between jobs and on an exit order where you have to hand your alien card to immigration. Same thing. One or two other times, they didn't bat an eye and gave me a new card.

Didn't know you could take money out of the machine with you bankbook (and passport?).

[Goon-Yang]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[crossmr]

[KOREAN_MAN]

I don't see what the problem is. You didn't have the proper ID, so they didn't withdraw money from your account. This is pretty much the standard policy for banks throughout the world, am I wrong? You bank book has your signature, so it can be very easy forged. Nobody at the bank knows your pin number. Your new passport had a different number. I'd say those Shin Han people did what they were supposed to do.

At the same time, I don't know why they didn't just suggest you take your bank book and withdraw money from an ATM machine. (Yes, it's possible if you know the pin.)

BTW, why do you carry your bank book and valuable passport around and not your bank card, which can fit nicely into your wallet? It's unbelievable how often I see foreigners in Korea not respecting any kind of guidelines here.

[Wangja]

[chemicalblur]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[yingwenlaoshi]