The Bank of Korea said Tuesday that it is not expecting a shift in its interest rate policy despite a hawkish US stance on inflation Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell revealed over the weekend, as that was already factored in its decision-making process. At a three-day global symposium of central bankers that ended Saturday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Powell made it clear he backs rate hikes ...

A South Korean court on Tuesday officially declared the bankruptcy of Optimus Asset Management, which had been mired in massive financial fraud leading to losses worth some 560 billion won ($415.8 million) for investors. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court declared the troubled asset manager bankrupt, citing its incapability to make payments due to its “heavy debt.” Optimus filed for bankruptcy with the...

Yoon to minimize state spending for fiscal soundness

South Korean stocks finished higher Tuesday, as investors moved to buy beaten-down shares while digesting the possibility of the U.S. Federal Reserve keeping its aggressive monetary tightening stance. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 24.04 points, or 0.99 percent, to close at 2,450.93. Trading volume was rather slim at 327.21 million shares worth 6.69 trillion won ($4.97 billi...

South Korean banking groups have been picking up the pace of expansion in Vietnam, eyeing financial clout in one of the fastest growing Asian economies. Shinhan Financial Group, South Korea’s No. 2 bank by total assets, is at the forefront of the movement. Its flagship commercial bank’s Vietnam subsidiary, Shinhan Bank Vietnam opened three more branches in a single day on July 29. Shinhan Bank V...

Retail sales in South Korea rose 9.7 percent on-year in July amid eased COVID-19 curbs and the growth in people's outdoor activities, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The combined sales of 25 major offline and online retailers came to 14.17 trillion won ($10.48 billion) last month, compared with 12.9 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industr...

The Bank of Korea (BOK) will not change its current monetary policy of pushing for "piecemeal" rate increases to combat inflation despite US Fed Chair Jerome Powell's hawkish remarks at the recent Jackson Hole meeting, its top official said Tuesday. At the annual conference held over the weekend in Wyoming, Powell hinted at continuing the Federal Reserve's rate hikes for some time to rein in run...

South Korea on Tuesday proposed a budget of 639 trillion won ($473.5 billion) for next year in the slowest spending growth in six years as it seeks to implement a belt-tightening policy to improve fiscal health. The proposal represents a 5.2 percent hike from this year's budget of 607.7 trillion won and compares with an 8.9 percent on-year increase for the 2022 state budget. But it marks the sl...

South Korea's tax revenue grew 37.3 trillion won ($27.8 billion) in the first seven month of this year from a year ago as the collection of corporate and income taxes amid the economic recovery, the finance ministry said Tuesday. Tax revenue amounted to 261 trillion won in the January-July period, compared with 223.7 trillion won the previous year, according to the ministry. In July alone, tax ...

South Korea's stock market opened higher Tuesday, as investors digested the possibility of the US Federal Reserve continuing its aggressive monetary tightening. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 16.05 points, or 0.66 percent, to trade at 2,442.94 as of 9:15 a.m. The market has faced renewed fears about aggressive rate hikes since last Friday when Fed Chair Jerome Powe...

SEJONG -- The number of self-employed people without employees came to the highest in 14 years in South Korea amid the surge in food deliverymen and business startups among retirees, state data showed Monday. The nation’s self-employed is split into two groups: those who hire several workers as micro-business owners, and those who do not hire any employees. The latter are also called own-account...

South Korean stocks tumbled Monday as investors grappled with renewed concerns over the US central bank's aggressive monetary tightening. The Korean won dropped to its lowest level against the US dollar in 13 years. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dropped 54.14 points, or 2.18 percent, to close at 2,426.89, ending its three-day rise. Trading volume was moderate at 441.63 million s...

Executives from financial firms were reaping astronomical salaries and bonuses amid increasing embezzlement, a lawmaker said Monday, quoting data. Data submitted by the Financial Supervisory Service to Rep. Yang Jung-suk showed that a total of 327 embezzlement cases worth a total of 170 billion won ($126 million) had occurred at 78 financial firms from 2017 to August this year. According to the...

As Kospi, won tumble further, Seoul tries to downplay risks, while brokerages express heavy concerns

FSS clamps down on shorting stocks amid jumpy market