January 8, 2006
Foreigners in Korea Cry Inconvenience in Mobile Phone Service
According to the Korea Times, some foreign residents complain that getting a cell phone in Korea is a nightmare that amounts to discrimination, but cell phone companies deny the charges.
Complaints revolve around the two sets of rules for obtaining cell phones in Korea: one set for foreigners and another for Koreans.
"It's very difficult for foreigners to get cell phones with the same rates as Koreans,'' said David Watermeyer, a South African who has lived here for about a year. Because companies will not accept credit ratings from foreign countries, foreign residents have to either pre-pay for their cell phone time at an exorbitant rate or get a phone in the name of a Korean friend.
Watermeyer also urged cell phones to have some key words in English in the bills. "I understand that the bills have to be in hangul, but if there was an option for foreigners to have some basic information on the bills in English, it would help,'' he said.
Another foreigner added that all services are in Korean and it is very difficult for foreigners to communicate with the phone offices because most personnel don't speak English and don't want to be bothered with dealing with all the problems of registering foreigners with their companies.
Korea's mobile carriers vigorously rebuffed any arguments that they discriminate foreign residents.
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