SEOUL, July 16 (Korea Bizwire) — A new study has revealed that the trading strategies of South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), which oversees more than 1,000 trillion won ($730 billion) in assets, can significantly affect market volatility and transaction costs—particularly when investments are outsourced to external managers. According to a report released Tuesday by [...]
SEOUL, July 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Executives at South Korea’s major financial holding companies are reaping substantial gains from their personal stock purchases, as share prices of leading banks surge to record highs. According to financial industry data on Tuesday, three of the nation’s top four financial groups — Shinhan, Hana, and Woori — all [...]
SEOUL, July 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s powerful business conglomerates, or chaebol, continued a controversial pattern in 2023: funneling excessive dividends to owner families through privately held affiliates, some of which posted losses, prompting renewed concerns over shareholder inequality and market distortion. According to audit reports filed with the Financial Supervisory Service and reviewed [...]
SEOUL, July 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Bitcoin prices hit an all-time high on a South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Monday, in line with global rallies fueled by optimism over long-awaited policy support for the industry. Bitcoin had been trading at 165.9 million won (US$120,113) per unit as of around 3:40 p.m. on the local crypto exchange [...]
SEOUL, July 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s financial authorities are preparing a sweeping overhaul of capital regulations to curb excessive bank lending in real estate and steer financial resources toward high-growth industries like artificial intelligence and biotechnology. According to industry officials on July 13, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) is reviewing plans to raise [...]
SEOUL, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Short-selling positions in South Korea’s stock markets have surged to their highest levels since the full resumption of short-selling in March, signaling a rise in bearish bets even as local equities continue a months-long rally. According to data released Saturday by the Korea Exchange, net short interest in the [...]
SEOUL, , July 8 (Korea Bizwire) — A growing number of young South Koreans are remaining out of the labor force well after graduation, many continuing to live with their parents — a phenomenon known locally as the “Kangaroo Tribe.” A new government-funded study has found that this group accounts for nearly 17% of all economically inactive [...]
SEOUL, July 8 (Korea Bizwire) — With gold prices climbing steadily, South Korean jewelry brands are increasingly turning to lower-karat gold and alternative materials to appeal to younger, cost-conscious consumers. Traditionally dominated by 14K and 18K offerings, the market is seeing a growing presence of more affordable 10K, 9K, and even 5K gold pieces. These [...]
SEJONG, July 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s latest euro-denominated foreign exchange stabilization bond (FESB) offering in London has garnered record-breaking demand, signaling strong global investor confidence in the country’s fiscal and economic outlook under its newly inaugurated administration. According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the €1.4 billion issuance on June 26 attracted [...]
SEOUL, July 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s major conglomerates are scrambling to respond after the National Assembly passed sweeping amendments to the Commercial Act championed by President Lee Jae-myung’s administration. The reform, more aggressive than the version previously vetoed by former President Yoon Suk-yeol, introduces expanded shareholder rights and tighter oversight of corporate boards. At [...]