Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Emily3373]

I live near the Junggye station on line 7 and was wondering if anyone could tell me of any ATMs nearby that allow you to withdraw money using an American debit/bank card.

[PeterDragon]

If it has a Visa/MC/AmEx/other major logo on it, it will work at the ATMs in virtually all subway stations, virtually all gs25s, and virtually all 7-11s. The subway station is your surest bet; I've yet to see one that didn't accept my U.S. card. A "foreign card" option should display.

[Qinella]

[sojourner1]

Mine works at KEB ATM's.

[PeterDragon]

Quinella--- you're right. It also depends on your bank's ability (or lack thereof) to negotiate foreign transactions. My American credit union debit card doesn't work anywhere here, my Paypal card does. In this case, the OP might want to call her bank and see what their policies are. Some banks need additional verification/information to properly authorize foreign transactions, and they may only do it through certain mediators. Some banks just suck at it.

Additional advice for the OP--- I worked as a corporate banker in my old life in the states. Technically, if no ATM works for your card, you can take the card into any local bank, and have a teller run your card and manually hand you some cash, for a conversion and processing fee, of course. I say "technically" because obviously not every bank here is willing to do you that service at all. If your card is with Wells Fargo, they actually have a toll free access number that is dialable from Korea and can get you in touch with a free translator who could speak to a Korean banker in Korean via your cell phone. Other banks may be able to provide that service as well.; wouldn't hurt to get in touch with your home bank.

[IncognitoHFX]

Yes, I withdrew money from my Canadian bank account in the basement floor of the 63 building (past the fancy elevators). Find the Cafeteria and you'll see a sign International Bank Machines.

[blitzkad]

I found that going to Citibank they always had a machine that would use my debit card.

[Flash Ipanema]

I found an ATM at the front of the building where I got my ARC processed. It was too long ago for me to remember any details about the place, but I would image it wouldn't be too difficult to find.

[articulate_ink]

Look for branches of major foreign banks: Citibank, Standard Chartered, HSBC. That's what I had to do at first. KEB and KB will generally have at least one foreign-card-friendly ATM at their branches. If you go to one of the Korean banks, be careful and look at all the signs and logos around them: sometimes not all the ATMs are set up for international transactions. Even if they've got all the applicable network logos, you may still need to find one labelled Global ATM. Still no absolute guarantee it'll work, but that's the way to find 'em.

[therooster]

I at first thought they were rare...but actually at almost any bank look through the Atm's until you find one that works....even here in the sticks each bank has at least one card that accepts Visa....