Shinhan Bank launches multilingual global service for foreign customers

Shinhan Bank announced Monday that it launched the Shinhan Global+ service for foreign customers, allowing them to perform banking tasks via video call in 10 different languages.

A promotional sign for Shinhan Bank's Shinhan Global+ service [SHINHAN BANK]

Shinhan Bank announced Monday that it launched the Shinhan Global+ service for foreign customers, allowing them to perform banking tasks via video call in 10 different languages.

Using Shinhan Global+, customers can connect to bank tellers via video call to complete various banking tasks such as making debit cards, opening bank accounts, signing up for online banking, creating savings accounts, sending money abroad or obtaining a bank balance certificate.

The video call service is available in 10 languages, including English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai.

To use the service, customers must have either their residence card, a certificate of overseas Korean residency or a permanent resident card.

The service will be offered as a trial run at three of Shinhan Bank's digital lounge branches: the Seoul National University Station branch in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, the Gocheok Intersection branch in Guro District, western Seoul and the Banwol Station branch in Ansan, Gyeonggi.

Shinhan Bank's digital lounge branches allow visitors to perform banking tasks through kiosks and video calls. A Shinhan Bank staff member is also present to assist visitors if needed.

According to the bank, it chose to offer Shinhan Global+ at these three branches because they are in neighborhoods with a large foreign resident population.

Video calls are available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. However, the Seoul National University branch is also available on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

"We hope foreign customers will be able to conveniently bank with us through the Shinhan Global+ service," said a spokesperson for Shinhan Bank. "We will continue to develop specialized digital services for customers and make it easier for foreigners to use our bank."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]