Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Anyone use them? I have a Citibank Checking Account back in the U.S.

Is there any advantage to having a Citibank Savings Account here in Korea? Would wire transfers be cheaper?

Any way that a Korea Citibank account could be extremely easily/quickly transfered WITHOUT wiring fees? (I've heard 'no' by word-of-mouth, but just curious).

Wrench · Joined: 07 Apr 2005

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Thanks for the info.. might try that!

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

I've dealt with Citibank here and I've found them less than friendly with foreigners. They make it difficult to do just about anything. They get no bonus points from me for being an international bank. Basically your money is inaccessible outside of Korea with them. But that's just my opinion...perhaps others have had better experiences.

Korean banks suck for the most part...at least when you're a foreigner anyway. The only one I've heard lots of good things about from other foreigners is the Korea Exchange Bank. I haven't dealt with them personally though.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

flakfizer · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:09 am Post subject:

I have an account there and the benefit are:

1. you can use any ATM in Korea (no matter the bank) and pay no fee. ( the fee is initially paid but is reimbursed by Citibank )

2. you can use your ATM card in Citibank ATMs in other countries. I did this in Manilla.

Oddly, if you are a Korean, you can get a card that you can use in nearly all ATM machines in other countries, but they won't issue that kind of card to a foreigner. Don't know why.

canukteacher · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul, Korea

Do a search here. I have commented on Citibank before on this board.

They are not the most competent bunch in the world. I did one wire transfer with them a couple of years ago, and the guy screwed it up. It took a month for my money to be "found". Another guy did the "re-transfer" for me and he managed to get it wrong too. At least the second time I was on to them, and was able to catch at the receiving bank, and they did not return it.

I have bought TC's from them twice and both times they got the exchange rate wrong. The second time I even said "Are you sure this is correct?" The woman got all huffy and said "of course". Guess what? 20 minutes later I am doing other business in the bank and she comes running over "sorry sorry, mistake". I had to pay several hunderd more dollars. I'm not sure what would have happened had I already left the bank.

I do have an international card that I can use at any ATM worldwide, and it does work, but it took two tries before they got it set-up properly. I tried to use it in Thailand, and no go. I came back, and they set it up again, and now it works anywhere (or at least it did the last time I checked).

I used them recently for a bank draft, and that transaction went ok, except for the fact that it took them over an hour to get the draft printed, and in my hand.

I doubt that you will get free wire transfers with them, but who knows?
It's worth trying, since you already have an account with them in NY.

Good luck!

CT