Korea a World Leader in Credit Cards, ATMs Per Capita

The use of a bank card, credit card or debit card to conduct transactions at an ATM is a very common experience for anyone living in Korea these days.  Koreans have more credit and debit cards per person than any country in the world, with the exception of the United States, according to Bank of Korea data yesterday.  And, as shown in the accompanying graphic from an article in the Joongang Ilbo, it has more Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) per capita than any other nation in the world.  Among 14 countries surveyed, Korea ranked second lowest in terms of the portion of an individual's assets held in either cash reserves or demand deposits. (click on the accompanying graphic to see a full size version)