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 [...]
SEOUL, July 4 (Korea Bizwire) – Amid a prolonged slump in South Korea’s real estate market, the number of operating real estate agents has dropped to its lowest point in more than four years, underscoring the industry’s deepening struggles. According to data released Wednesday by the Korea Association of Realtors, the number of active licensed [...]
SEOUL, July 3 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s National Assembly on Thursday passed a revised Commercial Act aimed at strengthening minority shareholder rights, a move welcomed by financial markets as a potential catalyst for resolving the longstanding “Korea Discount” that has weighed on domestic stock valuations. The legislation, which had previously been vetoed under the [...]
SEOUL, July 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Grabbing lunch in Seoul’s central business districts has become a significantly pricier affair, with Samseong-dong topping the list at ₩15,000 (approx. $11) per meal — the highest average in the greater Seoul area, according to new data released by NHN Payco. The company analyzed 9 million transactions made through [...]
SEOUL, July 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean stocks rose for a second straight session Tuesday as investors welcomed signs of progress in trade talks over the United States’ tariff scheme and were keen on a potential revision of a shareholders-friendly law. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Financially troubled MG Non-Life Insurance Co. may be put back on the selling block after the country’s financial regulator and the company’s labor union tentatively agreed on the matter, industry sources said Monday. In May this year, the Financial Services Commission said it has decided to liquidate MG Non-Life [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean central bank on Monday lifted restrictions on local institutions investing in foreign currency-denominated bonds issued for domestic use, known as kimchi bonds, in an effort to improve foreign exchange liquidity, officials said. Under the new measure, foreign exchange institutions, including foreign exchange banks, securities firms and [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — As smartphones and online platforms become the dominant gateway to financial services, a new academic study has found that digital transaction literacy is the most crucial skill for sound personal financial management—outweighing traditional financial knowledge or attitudes. According to research by Professor Yang Se-jung’s team at Sangmyung University, published [...]
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The Bank of Korea (BOK) has put the second phase of its central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot program on hold, signaling mounting pressure from commercial banks and a shifting digital finance landscape increasingly shaped by stablecoin developments. The abrupt pause, disclosed in a virtual meeting with participating banks [...]
SEOUL, June 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean stocks fell for the second-straight session Friday as investors continued to cash in recent gains. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) dropped 23.62 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 3,055.94. Trade volume was moderate at 377.4 [...]