Scott in Florida <NotInThisLifetime@nope.ucan't> wandered out of a
yurt and mumbled:

Problem is Germany and Korea use two completely different and
incompatible systems. So person will have to buy a different phone in
Korea, unfortunately.

--
"Music is, after all, a highly complex form of mathmatical
encryption. It's so powerful that in modulates human
emotion on soundwaves."  Mike Spence

Scott,
Check out these two websites:
http://nordicgroup.us/intlrate
http://www.prepaidgsm.net

If they don't answer your questions, get in touch with me at the address
below.

Local prepaid cards are an option. Roaming is painfully expensive
wherever you are. Is the goal international incoming or outgoing? Many
countries charge significant premiums for incoming calls to
cellphones, as well as outgoing international calls.

In Germany, the person calling you will pay US$0.25/minute extra to
call a cellphone. It's frequently a dollar a minute to call the US
from a German cellphone. Calling cards have a premium of around
$0.25/minute if you use them from a cellphone - I can call the US for
$0.01/minute from a German landline.

If you don't want a discounted phone, you can sign up with a local
company for a three month contract. If you want a cheap phone, you can
sign up for a 24 month contract and then explain that you're leaving
the country - I've been told that they will happily end the contract
immediately in that situation if you show them a document or
something. Of course, I've also been told that there is no way you can
ever under anycircumstances end a contract early, and that nobody
offers less than 24 month contracts, so getting a clear,
straightforward answer is challenging.