SEOUL, April 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s largest banks posted record-breaking profits in 2024, yet their hiring of entry-level employees remained flat or declined, drawing criticism for neglecting their social responsibility to create jobs—particularly for young job seekers facing a worsening employment climate. According to data obtained by Rep. Kim Hyun-jung of the National [...]
SEOUL, April 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s financial regulator asked local banks on Monday to play an active role in providing funds for businesses facing difficulties due to the Donald Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs. Kim Byoung-hwan, the chief of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), made the call during a meeting with the heads of [...]
SEOUL, April 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s household loans extended by major banks slowed in March following a sharp increase the previous month, industry data showed Tuesday. Outstanding household loans extended by five major commercial banks, including KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank and Hana Bank, stood at 738.55 trillion won(US$502 billion) at the end [...]
SEOUL, March 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Shinhan Card announced on Thursday the launch of TripPass, a new finance and identity verification platform designed to enhance the experience of foreign tourists and residents in South Korea. The platform offers seamless digital services from identity authentication to payments, and is accompanied by two types of prepaid cards. Developed [...]
SEOUL, March 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Foreign bank branches in South Korea continued to enjoy a rise in their net profit last year as a sharp increase in their gains from trading of foreign currencies and derivatives more than offset a decline in their interest income, data showed Thursday. The combined net profit of 32 [...]
SEOUL, March 27 (Korea Bizwire) – The South Korean government announced on March 26 an expanded loan program offering interest rate subsidies to small and medium-sized manufacturers of eco-friendly vehicle components, part of its ongoing push to strengthen the nation’s green automotive sector. Under the program, eligible companies can receive loans of up to 10 [...]
SEOUL, March 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The amount of insurance payments collected in insurance frauds climbed to an all-time high last year, prompting authorities to step up efforts to curb such practices, the financial regulator said Sunday, Insurance scammers took a record 1.15 trillion won (US$794.6 million) through wrongful filings in 2024, up 3 percent [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s antitrust regulator said Wednesday that it has launched a reinvestigation into allegations that the country’s four major banks colluded on setting lending limits, the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has dispatched its investigators to the headquarters of Shinhan Bank and Woori Bank as part [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s major banks are rapidly closing physical branches, citing the rise of digital banking and cost-cutting measures, even as they continue to report record-high interest income. The trend, however, is sparking concerns over reduced financial accessibility for elderly customers and those unfamiliar with mobile banking. KB Kookmin Bank [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of exclusive insurance agents in South Korea has increased despite the growing influence of independent insurance agencies (GAs) in the market, according to industry data released on February 6. Unlike GA agents who sell products from multiple insurers, exclusive agents are directly employed by insurance companies and sell [...]