Banking in English in Korea: Call Centres, Global Desks, Apps and Documents

The English-service landscape

English support at Korean banks has expanded with the foreign-resident population, and the picture is more useful as a set of channels than as one app or one phone number. Across the major banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori, Hana and NongHyup — you will generally find some combination of: a dedicated foreign-customer call centre with an English option, global desks at branches in foreign-resident areas, an English or multilingual mobile app, and English-language documents such as statements and balance certificates. Which combination a bank offers, and how complete the English coverage is, changes over time, so the reliable move is to confirm with the bank’s current official page or its call centre rather than assume.

For the app-side of this, including registration and identity verification, see our mobile banking in English guide.

Phone support: dedicated foreign-customer lines

Several major banks operate call centres aimed at foreign customers, with an English option in the menu. Examples, current as of the reference date:

• Woori Bank runs a dedicated foreigner call centre (1599-2288) with menu options in English, Chinese, Vietnamese and other languages, alongside its standard lines.
• KB Kookmin Bank operates a foreign-language support centre (1599-4477) covering English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and other languages, and can provide a three-way phone interpretation service when you are at a branch.

The numbers and the menu structure change, so treat the bank’s official English page as the reference rather than relying on a remembered number. Business hours are typically weekday daytime.

At the branch: global desks and interpretation

In-person English service varies by branch more than by brand. Branches in areas with many foreign residents — and ‘global’ or ‘foreign-specialised’ desks within them — are more likely to have English-speaking staff. Woori, for example, has expanded its network of Global Desks at branches across Gyeonggi and Incheon, and KB offers three-way phone interpretation so a call-centre agent can join you and the branch staff.

A practical habit: when you enter a branch, ask for the foreign-customer desk or global desk rather than taking a general queue ticket. If English is not available at that branch, the staff can usually point you to the nearest branch that handles foreign customers. Bring your passport and, if you have one, your alien registration card (ARC) for any service request.

Apps and online banking in English

Most major banks provide an English interface somewhere between a fully bilingual app and an English mode inside the main app. Woori’s Global Banking app, KB’s foreign-customer services, Shinhan’s app, Hana’s services and IBK’s i-ONE Bank Global app all advertise multilingual or English support. Which functions are covered in English varies — some government-adjacent or e-document features may remain Korean-only.

Because apps and interfaces are updated frequently, the practical approach is to download the app, switch to English where offered, and check with the bank whether the functions you need — overseas remittance, certificate requests, limit reviews — are available in English. For registration steps and identity verification, our opening a bank account in Korea guide covers the documents and the limited-transaction limits you will start with.

English documents: statements and balance certificates

Foreign residents often need bank documents in English for visa applications, tax filings or school enrolment. Banks can issue English-language versions of:

• Transaction statements — a record of deposits, withdrawals and transfers over a period
• Balance certificates (잔액증명) — a document showing the account balance on a given date, sometimes with the balance in a foreign currency

These are typically requested at a branch, sometimes with a small fee and a few days’ processing, and can be issued in person with your ID. Ask at the branch which language versions are available and how long the issue takes, since the formats and fees are set by each bank and change over time.

Note — English service availability, phone numbers, fees and document formats are revised by the banks and can change. Confirm current details with the bank’s official English page or its foreign-customer line before relying on them.