20+ years of international business travel -- and I have always managed to spend my foreign currency, or bring some home for the kids, or pay down a hotel bill or buy some duty-free...

I am on a trip now where i have already accumulated way more currency (cash per diem) than I would blow on trinkets, and it needs to change back to USD. Yeah, my name is carpeperdiem (sieze the per diem) and this trip, the per diem has been accumulating, and my client has been paying for just about everything. And this trip is longer than usual -- so we're looking at about 2,000,000 KRW (about US$1900).

I would imagine the spread at ICN kiosks would be at least 4%, right?

Most discussion on FT all suggest paying down your hotel bill, or blowing it at duty-free, or save $20 for the next trip -- all great ideas that I have done in the past -- but once the value of the currency goes beyond pocket change, it's time to find the least costly way to convert this back to USD.

Has anyone tried to deposit KRW at a bank in NYC?

I guess the question is: does anyone know the spread and fees of a NYC bank (I have accts at Chase, Sovereign, TD) vs. the airport Kiosk at ICN vs. the airport Kiosk at JFK ? Who would prefer to sell dollars and buy KRW and give the better rates?

Anyone have first hand info?

Thanks,

cpd