Korean Job Discussion Forums

dulcineadeltoboso · Joined: 01 Oct 2003

Does anyone know how I can withdraw money from my Korean Shinhan Bank account while I'm in the States?

Recently, I left Korea and returned to the States. Before I left, my school (Pagoda/Direct English, headquartered in Seoul) promised to give me my pay after I left via wire transfer to my American bank account. As they've done this with other teachers before, I didn't see the problem. Besides, when you're dealing with a big company, they usually won't make exceptions for you anyway.

Then, surprise surprise, they didn't tranfer the money. I contacted my branch, and they said headquarters probably deposited it into my Korean account, which is how they'd been paying me when I was in Korea. I called the bank, but they said I can't get the money unless I go back to Korea. They also wouldn't even tell me if the school even made the deposit or not! The school said they talked the bank, and the bank suggested I find an international ATM in the States.

I called a couple American banks here as well as the international airport, but no one knows where I can use my Korean Shinhan Bank ATM card in the States. The school suggested that I mail my passbook to them and let them withdraw the money, which they say they will wire into my American account. but I can already see how that will come out. They'll get the cash from my account and pocket it, saying that there's some other problem with wiring it to me (if they weren't lying about depositing it in the first place). Obviously, I don't trust them with my passbook, but at this point I don't have much to lose anyway.

I'm not expecting to ever see the money, and although it makes me mad, I find comfort in the fact that after all the times I've been jerked around/not paid/treated like crap by jobs in Korea, all I can do is thank God that this will be the last time. Still, I want the money.

So again, does anyone know how I can get the money while I'm here? I still have my passbook and ATM card from Shinhan Bank.

Any info would be appreciated!

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

If worse comes to worse, you've got a fully paid Korean holiday sitting in that bank account. Plan on going back in the near term as a tourist?

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

OK.. look at your bank card from shinhan bank.

Does it have these signs on it?

Maestro

Cirrus

Visaplus

If it has any of those signs, you can draw money from ANY ATM machine in the US of A.

Failing that, find a Shinhan Bank in the States?

I just looked at Shinhan's website. It appears that it wholly owns Cho Hung Bank America. I believe they are merging next year. If you are stuck, walk in a Cho Hung Bank, if you can find one, and ask them what to do.

Ah.. makes sense.

There is a Cho Hung Bank in LA's Koreatown and one in New York.

Take a look:

http://www.cchbla.com/about.html

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

If all else fails.. and you can not get it out... Mail me the card tell me the code number on it too. I will go to the bank and take out all your cash. Then I will put it in my Korean Bank Account. Then I will wire the exact amount minus like 10-20 k for the wire charge to your US Bank Account. I would do it for you on my honor. Money and things fade- I am a man of higher values. I'd feel good about hepling you out- later you could eat many proper tasting hamburgers and tacos and thank God for me and them.

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

tzechuk is as ever correct.

My Shinhan "Global Debit Card" works in USA, both in ATM machines and as payment (Costco - shudder - for example).

On the back it has "Visa - Internlink" and "Plus".

Keep using yours till it works no more!!

No transfer fees either.

antoniothegreat · Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong

yeah, dont you have any friends in korea you can trust with it? i think that is the best way. or maybe talk to your bank back home about somehow withdrawing it. Like when you get cable, you never tell the bank to transfer the money, you just give the info to the cable company.

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

why would you leave korea without first getting your check/ severance?? did you break your contract? severance often takes a few weeks, but you should at least be able to get your last pay check before leaving unless you had to go back for an emergency or something ... even then ... it sounds like they owe you for a whole month, and so i don't see why they couldn't cut you a check a couple of days sooner. hoggies ....

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

You know I was thinking- I bet you had to sign your bank book. SO maybe it would just be more easy to send a letter that you also sign that said, "I hereby write that so and so can wire all my money to this US bank account." Then the person could do just that- I think that way there would be no way the person you sent it to could take out your money in cash- but would have to go to your KOrean Bank to do it. Anyhow, so go ahead then and mail me your bank book with a letter and as said above with a US bank account wire number / bank address and account number then I could help you out- Well to be honest I am not sure if there is one of your Banks in Jeju, but failing that I could give it to a Korean Man who goes to Seoul all the time that I have trust in and he could do it. But you had to have had one friend or coworker here you could do the same with- just write them.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I goof around at times on this site. I hope everybody understands.

By and large as a group we have always taken care to take care of ourselves.

I don't think Great Toad is going to rip you off. PM him. It's a small town really. I lost a fortune in the IMF thing, when the banks all just vanished. It's a small town if he rips you off we all sort of know each other.

Better that than just return and the banks have just all vanished.

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

Summer Wine · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River

I have to agree with some of the above. We are not all criminals here and if you need help getting money out of a bank to send to you in where ever you are, someone will help you. If those foreigners you trust rip you off, someone will visit them for you. Twisted Evil

Its not a dog eat dog world yet.

dulcineadeltoboso · Joined: 01 Oct 2003

Wow, thanks for all the advice and support.

My Shinhan card isn't a debit card, just a regular ATM card, so it hasn't worked in the ATMs here. It doesn't have anything on the back.

It was my understanding that to make an international wire transfer, you needed to go in person with your passport, and you can't give your passbook to a friend and have him do it for you. Even just a withdrawal requires you to go in person unless it's a withdrawal from a business (like a cable company) That means that anyone who does it for me will have to use my ATM card to get all the money out in cash (which would take several transactions), then go to his own bank (or a KEB) with my American bank's info, and wire it to me from there. Is that too much to ask or is it too complicated? I suspect it might be.

Anyway, I asked the school to call the bank and try to get me one of those Global Debit cards from Shinhan, but I have no idea if they will do it. Maybe I can only apply for one in person because I'd have to sign for it or something.

Anyway, thanks for all the help!

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

teachingld2004 · Joined: 29 Mar 2004

Don't you have any friends here? JUst send them your card, have them withdraw the money, make travelers checks (that are free) and send them to u. Or have them wire the money to you.

Yes for all u people who will say its not free to get travelers checks. I never had to pay for them. Of corse I get 800 dollars at a time. Maybe that has something to do with it.