Do you have an international debit card from a Korean bank?

[Brian]

I'm curious if you have been able to get an international debit card from a Korean bank.  On the back of your card it should have a "plus" logo if it's an international card. 

This is my latest hobby horse, and I will be trying to raise awareness that foreigners are often discriminated against when trying to get the most basic of bank services.  I'm aware there are regulations in place for foreigners in other countries, and am also aware that this particular policy is in place because banks fear foreigners will withdraw their money overseas and thereby circumvent the rules for transfering money abroad.

Many banks will refuse to issue them to foreigners, even though there is no official government policy in place dictating that.  My girlfriend, for example, has been refused a card from Gwangju Bank, even though she has been a customer for years and even though there's no government policy prohibiting foreigners from receiving these cards.  Bank policy.

I was given one automatically when I came here in 2005, through KEB.  It seems to be bank by bank, branch by branch. 

So, anyway, please vote and please respond with yes, no, where you got it, whether you had any trouble getting it, and if you've been successfully able to use it overseas. 

My vote is Yes, through a KEB in Bundang, and it's worked overseas including in the US during my visit this past summer.  I was even given a replacement international card in 2007 when the first one wore out.

[goulash]

Had a KB (Kookmin Bank?) card, from Naju, with a Plus sign on the back and clearly marked "International Bank Card" on the front. It didn't work in Australia at all. When I got back I asked about it (cause when I ordered it, I specifically said it was for overseas and the lady with very good English told me it would work) and they told me it was "Korea only".

I also have a Nonghyup card from Naju, with "Cirus" on it (suppose to work in all ATM's in the world with "Cirus" marked on them) but it didn't work either.

My last card is a KB card with "Cirus" & "Maestro" on it as well as a computer chip in it. I believe this one worked overseas, but I'm not too sure. Sorry, can't remember where this one was from.

[Brian]

Maybe I should make a poll about why nobody ever votes in my polls.   

Anyway I also posted this question on a much bigger forum, and you can follow the results there. 

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=142676

As of this post 40 people said that they'd received an international debit card, 24 said they were denied, 6 said they got one but it didn't work, and 9 said they hadn't tried to get one.

[Arsalan]

I got one, and it worked in Nepal, and India.  Didn't get to try it anywhere else.

The card is from Nonghyup bank, and it has a "Maestro" logo on it.  I suppose that means useable at any location that has an ATM with the same logo.

[thebisk]

I tried to get one, was turned down by Nonghyup, I was told it was a company policy, however a friend got one a few days later at a different location.

[luck_acts]

Yes I have one from Kookmin Bank, Maestro Debit card with cirrus mark on it at the back of it. I am not sure whether this can work in African countries/ Malawi in particular.

[goulash]

Worth checking out...

http://www.keb.co.kr/netc/en/expat/main.html

A special account set up especially for Expats in Korea. International debit cards, credit cards, multiple currency accounts and easy remittances.

[Flavian]

I tried to get one at Nyonghyup in July and was told that it was impossible. They did however sign me up for internet banking which they said I would be able to access from overseas and transfer money that way but it didn't work.

[Brian]

Thanks for sharing, everyone.  This is something that still interests me, and still gets my attention each time the banks use the papers to talk about the latest foreigner-friendly scheme.  Granted, internet banking and English-language services do help, but the enthusiasm is dampened when I learn that banks are still denying basic services to foreign customers. 

I was fortunate that my first hagwon used KEB, and I was able to keep that account open for over four years now.  If I had switched to Nonghyup when I came to Jeollanam-do---good thing my coteacher chose not to help me do that---I might have been in trouble.  But as it is, I got an international debit card automatically when I first visited KEB in 2005, and got it replaced with no questions asked in 2007.

[bleakronnie]

I'm with IBK bank in Cheonan and tried to get an international debit card. I was with my co-teacher and they said 'yes that's fine', began the process of paperwork etc and then just before issuing the card they made a phone call to someone and then said 'oh, we can't give them to foreigners, sorry'.

On a side note, when I tried to get a phone contract they said I had to have a credit card (why not a debit?) and upon trying to acquire one from my bank learned that you have to be a customer for 5 years before you can get one.

[lisadream]

If you're still having trouble getting a phone, have your co-teacher go with you and put the phone in their name. After 3 months the phone can be officially put in your name and you're off to the races. At least, that's what I did when I arrived