Korean Job Discussion Forums

[baedaebok]

I want to get my degree parchment replacement in the US and it costs $40. How can I send the letter to them with the money from Korea? Is there a bank draft or post office draft or something that I could purchase here that would be recognized in the US?

BDB

[Jake_Kim]

If it's certain that you've exhausted all other simpler options for payment - including credit card authorisation by fax/paper or over the phone - then Citibank Demand Draft (D/D) is the way to go.
Note its Korean term is '송금수표' which is literally 'remittance cheque', and shall not be confused with any other kind of '수표' that is handled by the bank.
There are other Korean banks issuing this type of instrument, notably KEB, but Citibank is more or less the only global brand accessible in Korea that won't cause any confusion on the receiving end.
Make sure to find out in advance precisely how you're supposed to put down the drawee's name on the draft. For example, if you're paying to UCLA in Los Angeles, it's usually not up to you to decide whether to use the abbreviation 'UCLA' or to spell it out as 'The University of California, Los Angeles' on the face of the draft.
Cutting this cheque will cost you about 7000 Won for service fee, on top of any foreign exchange commission you pay on the face value. Yet, depending on which one of already scarce Citibank branches you're walking into, a D/D may not be the kind of instrument that the bank teller sitting across the counter has often handled, if ever. Hence it is just as important that you know exactly what you're ordering, including its Korean term as above, in case the employee's English turns out to be less than desirable.