BC Card announced on April 11 that it would sign an agreement with SK Telecom to allow Chinese tourists in Korea to pay roaming service charges on China UnionPay credit cards. Thanks to this latest deal, Chinese nationals visiting Korea will find it much easier to pay charges related to roaming services without putting down often prohibitively large cash deposits.
Since BC Card has an exclusive relationship with China UnionPay, the only domestic credit card organization in China, roaming service users can save as much as 50% off the inbound roaming deposit (600,000 won) and handset lease deposit (3,000 won per day). In addition, users can receive a free calling card and discount coupons.
This agreement will enable BC Card to find business opportunities at the point of roaming service provision while for SK Telecom it would mean more potential users for its roaming service. Service desks will be located in the airports and ports where most Chinese visitors enter Korea. The two companies will expand the area of cooperation to other countries.
In the future, SK Telecom aims to connect its roaming site with UnionPay’s website to permit Chinese visitors to make roaming service reservations in their home country. In partnership with BC Card and China UnionPay, the company will also intensify its promotional activities through partner travel agencies, travel portals, airlines, and airports to increase the number of inbound roaming customers from the 1.5 million Chinese travelers to Korea.
Koh Kyu-Young, BC Card Executive Manager in sales support, said, “This alliance will reduce the inconvenience that Chinese tourists in Korea have experienced. We can build on this momentum and create enormous value in both the credit card and telecom businesses by strengthening marketing and promotion activities in China.”
