Most Popular
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Yoon calls for dialogue, trust from medical community
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NK leader guides firing drills involving super-large multiple rocket launchers
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Dyson founder visits Seoul for global debut of new hair dryer
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Leaders call for action against threats to democracy posed by AI
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Asiana Airlines wins data transfer certification in China
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Dispute heats up over dispatch of scandal-ridden envoy to Australia
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Dodgers beat S. Korea in final exhibition before MLB opener in Seoul
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Disgraced ex-K-pop star released after serving time for sex crimes
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Trump unlikely to unravel IRA: experts
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Yoon says medical licenses should not be used as tool against people
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BOK freezes key rate at 1.5% for Oct.
South Korea's central bank on Thursday held its policy rate untouched for October on worsening economic data and low inflation pressure.The monetary policy board of the Bank of Korea voted to freeze the policy rate at 1.5 percent for the 11th straight month.The BOK has taken a wait-and-see stance since November last year, when it adjusted up the key rate for the first time in more than six years, citing the economic recovery.Gov. Lee said two members of the seven-member board voted against the r
Oct. 18, 2018
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Watchdog to tighten compliance regulations for financial firms
Stricter compliance regulations are to be adopted for financial institutions within the watchdog’s jurisdiction to enforce stricter internal control and prevent errors and fraud, according to the market watchdog Financial Supervisory Service.According to a preliminary set of measures unveiled Wednesday, at least 1 percent of the entire staff and executives in a financial institution should be assigned to compliance operations, while compliance officers must be executives of the company wit
Oct. 17, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Former forensic technician creates new biometric standard
The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews on promising startups in the financial technology industry. This is the 23rd installment. -- Ed.For about a decade before Chung Woo-young founded mobile biometrics developer startup Winningi in 2015, he was a forensic technician who worked for the National Police Agency in South Korea. He was engaged in the nation’s project to collect and manage some 56 million fingerprint records of residents in the nation with a population of 51.2 mil
Oct. 16, 2018
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Financial firms urged to consider environment, society: regulator
The head of the financial watchdog on Tuesday called on financial firms to think about environmental and social issues in their investment decisions. Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Yoon Suk-heun made the remarks at a conference to discuss ways for Seoul to become a city of sustainable finance. Sustainable finance is a new watchword for investors that integrate environmental, social and governance issues into their investment decisions. Yoon said the South Korean government is playing a bigge
Oct. 16, 2018
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Tougher loan screening to help better manage household debt: regulator
Banks will be required to implement a stricter screening rule for mortgage loans starting this month so as to better manage growing household debt, according to the head of the financial regulator Tuesday. Banks have applied for the so-called debt service ratio to almost all household loans on a pilot basis since earlier this year. The new rule will become mandatory later this month.DSR measures how much a borrower has to pay in principal and interest payments in proportion to his or her yearly
Oct. 16, 2018
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‘New Southern Policy’ encourages financial companies to look to Southeast Asia
For South Korean financial companies looking out for new growth momentum, the “New Southern Policy” -- the key foreign economic policy of the Moon Jae-in administration -- came as a timely opportunity to create synergy with the fast-growing Southeast Asian market.The overseas net profit of domestic financial companies last year totaled $934 million, up 42 percent from a year earlier and exceeding 1 trillion won in Korean currency for the first time, the Financial Supervisory Service
Oct. 15, 2018
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Report cites signs of excessive financing in loans
South Korea's financial sector overall is not excessive in its size but it has grown to above adequate levels in terms of lending, a report said Monday.The research paper titled "Adequacy and Growth Effect of Finance in Korea," carried in the latest periodical from the Korea Institute of Finance, called attention to heavily concentrated loans to households compared to those for companies.Data from 2002 to 2016 shows an 8.1 percent yearly average rise in household loans, compared with a
Oct. 15, 2018
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Corporate watchdog to focus on chaebol reform, foster fairer biz practice
South Korea's corporate watchdog said Monday that it will focus on reforming family-controlled business groups and promoting fair business practices.In a report to the National Assembly, the Fair Trade Commission said it aims to help foster innovation-led growth, as well as expand consumers' rights. The FTC said it plans to carry out probes into the practices which are blamed for allowing founding families of private conglomerates, called chaebol, to easily net large profits by having subsidiari
Oct. 15, 2018
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Seoul shares expected to move higher on big events next week
South Korean stocks will likely move upward next week as big global events may ease the uncertainties that have bothered the financial market, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 2,161.85 on Friday, down 105.67 points, or 4.7 percent, from the previous week. Seoul shares started weaker on the first day of the week on a foreign selling binge. Investors were worried about lingering trade tensions between the United States and China and a faster-tha
Oct. 13, 2018
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Seoul emphasizes Korea is not a currency manipulator
South Korea‘s finance minister said Friday that his country should not be regarded as a currency manipulator as it strives to enhance transparency in its currency market.Kim Dong-yeon made the argument during a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on the sidelines of G-20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers, according to the finance ministry.Kim cited latest trends in the foreign currency market, efforts by the Seoul governm
Oct. 12, 2018
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Regulator to conduct more inspections into accounting practices at big firms
The financial regulator said Friday it will conduct more inspections into accounting practices at big companies as part of its efforts to toughen rules on corporate accounting standards.In a report for a parliamentary audit, the Financial Supervisory Service said big firms with assets worth more than 1 trillion won ($880 million) accounted for 7 percent of the watchdog's annual inspections into accounting practices last year.The ratio rose to 20 percent this year, the FSS said. In the first eigh
Oct. 12, 2018
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Korean stock markets take largest loss in 7 years on Wall Street plunge
South Korea’s stock markets were routed Thursday following a plunge in stocks at Wall Street amid surfacing doubts about current tech stock valuations in the United States and fears on lingering US-China trade war threats.Analysts said the market correction in the US triggered a ripple effect on Korean stock markets along with other Asian stocks, drawing concerns about what they call “the biggest external market risk.”Both the top-tier Kospi and the second-tier Kosdaq suffered
Oct. 11, 2018
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Govt. plans to cut maximum legal lending rate to 20%
The government plans to gradually cut the maximum interest rate that private lenders can charge to 20 percent per annum, the financial regulator said Thursday. In a parliamentary audit meeting, Financial Services Commission Chairman Choi Jong-ku said the plan is aimed at further easing the financial burdens on people. Choi said the government will review market interest rates and other economic factors before it cuts the maximum legal lending rate. In February this year, the government low
Oct. 11, 2018
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P2P lender 8Percent receives W6b investment
The South Korean startup 8Percent, dedicated to peer-to-peer financing to individuals and small-sized business owners, announced Wednesday it had drawn a combined 6 billion won ($5.3 million) in investments from three venture capital firms. The investments will be used to develop new credit analysis models, advance banking system and improve the profitability of lenders -- or investors into notes of borrowers -- the company said. One of the venture capital firms involved was DSC Investment, whil
Oct. 10, 2018
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[Newsmaker] KRX feels heat from calls to cut trading hours
Ever since the decision two years ago to delay the closing time of the nation’s securities market by 30 minutes, market authorities and labor activists have been in a heated debate, with unions saying the extended trading hours place an undue burden on employees without conferring significant benefits in terms of transaction volume. The issue is to take center stage at this week’s National Assembly audit, with Korea Exchange Chairman Jung Ji-won having been called as witness to
Oct. 9, 2018
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Woori Bank to streamline loan evaluation of offshore units
Woori Bank, South Korea‘s fourth-largest commercial bank by assets, said Monday it has created an office in Singapore to streamline loan evaluation of offshore units across Asia. The office, dubbed “Asia Credit Analysis & Approval Debt Center” is designed to “improve loan approval (of offshore units) and expedite the decision-making process” of corporations in China, Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as branches in Hong Kong, India and Middle East nations, the bank
Oct. 8, 2018
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IBK opens consulting service platform for startups
The state-run Industrial Bank of Korea launched a consulting service platform to support small firms and startups last week, bank officials said.IBK said it opened IBK ChangGongong at its Guro branch in southwestern Seoul on Oct. 1.The platform provides select startups with free offices, mentoring from experts, patent, tax and legal services, according to officials.In addition, they said, the bank will support their loans, investment relations and business networking. In the opening ceremony, IB
Oct. 7, 2018
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Nation Pension loses 9.9 tln from stock investment through July
The National Pension Service (NPS), the country's top institutional investor, lost a whopping 9.9 trillion won (US$8.7 billion) from stock investments through July this year, a lawmaker said Saturday.According to the data presented by Rep. Yoo Jae-jung of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, the combined value of local shares held by the investor came to 123 trillion won as of end-July, down from 131.5 trillion won estimated at the end of last year.The NPS newly invested 1.5 trillion won in
Oct. 6, 2018
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Lendit to allow secondary market trading
South Korea’s peer-to-peer financing startup Lendit said Thursday that it plans to allow investors and borrowers to trade notes that are not mature by establishing an online secondary market. P2P financing refers to a loan crowdsourced from investors seeking midrange interest rates, between 5 and 10 percent per year. The interest comes from borrowers’ debt servicing. Korea is home to 175 P2P financing platforms licensed as of end-August.The new system, dubbed the “Lendit Market
Oct. 4, 2018
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BOK chief hints at rate hike
South Korea's central bank chief on Thursday gave a strong signal for a possible rate hike later this month aimed at reducing the adverse effects from years of low borrowing costs."Recently, the South Korean economy has pulled off modest growth on the back of exports, but it is now experiencing an imbalance in many sectors as we have put less significance on investment in the future," Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said in a breakfast meeting with business leaders in Seoul."
Oct. 4, 2018