Korean Job Discussion Forums

[World Traveler]

I heard KEB is the best. Is this true? What are the reasons for this? I heard something about ease (and cost) of sending money home, and if I'm not mistaken, I heard KEB offers a card that can be used for international withdrawals at international ATMs. True?
Currently, I have an account with Hana Bank. Should i close my bank account, and open one with KEB?

[Skippy]

Why not get two. Keep your Hana and get a KEB. Make the KEB your primary transfer bank. Your Hana is your account your pay goes toward.

I like KEB. It has it's pluses. One negative to consider about KEB is less branches then KB star or Hana or other Korean banks. So that visit to a bank might mean a little bit more traveling.

As to the foreign withdrawing ATM card. Most banks will do it. But confusion and stubborn bank people abound who will either go huh or no because it is easier then thinking or finding something out. Even with KEB I still think you need to ask them to grant access or set some bit somewhere.

[koreatimes]

[pkang0202]

Try Shinhan Bank.

https://www.facebook.com/ShinhanBank

Their expat banking is superior to KEB or the others.

1577-8380 Call their English Support line and ask them about their services.

[allan of asia]

NH and HANA should be avoided at all costs...they are horrendous, the earlier point about KEB having a lack of branches is true but this is only a problem if you are living outside of Seoul or Busan as there are plenty of them in those cities...Shinhan is new to the expat banking arena and as such atm only have one global centre in downtown seoul - i would give them time to bed it down a little - their FB page has waaaaay more complaints than KEBs.

I also have a KEB credit card that works overseas like a dream

[warmachinenkorea]

NH is probably the bank you will find in every small town in Korea. Some people say stay away but they've been simple and easy for my wife and I. Sending money home is fast and easy for me. Most people say KEB for international stuff.

[isitts]

Like some of the others did, I also had two banks. One at Shinhan (because the branches and ATMs where everywhere) and one at KEB (because Shinhan's debit card didn't work in other countries).

I had three accounts at KEB; a regular (I don't know if it was really called a checking or savings account, but seemed more like checking) account so I could set money aside each time I got a pay check, a remittance account, and a foreign currency account.

There may be better banks than Shinhan, but anyway, the idea of having two banks isn't a bad idea.

[PatrickBateman]

[pkang0202]

[jeremysums]

Pick a bank that doesn't charge high fees, lots of ATM access.

[I-am-me]

Citibank

[lonestarteacher]

[Squire]

NH is convenient for me (they have branches everywhere here, no matter how small the village) but you might end up with one of those god awful Maestro cards I was given. Forget about using that online. Eventually (when my card back home was blocked) I went and requested a visa card. Irritatingly they didn't just give me a visa card, they opened another account for me. It's not so bad, but it means I have to transfer money from my main account to my visa account if I want to buy things online (flights and such). Fortunately it's easy to transfer at a machine, but it would have been a lot easier if I'd been given a proper card in the first place

My advice would be wherever you go ask to see the card you'll get before they make your account. Make sure it's a visa or mastercard

[Gregski]

[da_moler]