12 June 2025
Documenting safe-deposit contents without opening every box
Category-level descriptions from rental papers and memory can produce a useful register before your next branch visit.
You do not need to pull every folder from a vault to begin an inventory sheet. Most clients start from three sources: the rental agreement (box number and branch code), any list they scribbled after a prior visit, and a room-by-room memory walk with a registrar.
Start with branch codes, not item names
Korean banks print internal branch identifiers on contracts that do not match street addresses. Copy those codes exactly onto your register index before describing contents. Executors lose hours when “Gangnam branch” could mean two different KB locations.
Use categories, not serial numbers
Unless you maintain a jewellery appraisal file separately, record “gold bracelets (2), described by client” rather than inventing weights. The register’s job is orientation, not valuation.
Schedule verification dates honestly
Write “last personally verified: unknown” if you have not opened the box in years. Future readers trust registers that admit gaps.
When to visit in person
Plan one annual visit per city cluster. Suwon and Yongin boxes can share a trip; Busan boxes deserve a separate day. Bring your draft register and note only what changed.