SEOUL, April 11 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Exchange announced Friday that it will list three exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on April 15, 2025, all focused on companies involved in the development of humanoid robots. The funds, managed by Samsung Asset Management, KB Asset Management, and Hanwha Asset Management, mark a growing investor interest in next-generation [...]
SEOUL, April 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Short selling activity in South Korean amounted to 6.4 trillion won (US$4.38 billion) in the first week after a more than a yearlong ban was lifted, the bourse operator said Sunday. Last Monday, short selling was allowed for all listed firms following a suspension imposed in November 2023 after [...]
SEOUL, April 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly half of all debts held by individuals and businesses in South Korea are real estate market-related loans, which may stymie economic growth and undermine financial stability, the central bank said Thursday. The country’s total real estate credit amounted to 1,932.5 trillion won (US$1.32 trillion) as of end-2024, accounting [...]
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, April 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s young adults are grappling with limited income, high debt burdens, and increasing living costs, according to the newly released 2024 Youth Financial Status Survey by the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency. The average annual income among young people aged 19 to 34 stood at ₩30.92 million (approximately $21,000 as [...]
SEOUL, March 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of virtual asset investors in South Korea has surpassed 16 million, drawing close to overtaking the number of stock investors in the country, data showed Sunday. A total of 16.29 million people had accounts at the top five domestic virtual asset exchanges — Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit [...]
SEOUL, March 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The average monthly income of single-parent families stands at only about 60 percent of the average for all households, a government report showed Sunday. The average income of single-parent families with children under the age of 18 came to 2.94 million won (US$2,003) in 2024, according to the Ministry [...]
SEOUL, March 29 (Korea Bizwire) — In the first quarter of 2025, foreign investors significantly increased their holdings in South Korean semiconductor and defense stocks, led by SK Hynix, while retreating from shipbuilding and automotive shares, according to data from the Korea Exchange. From January to March 28, foreign investors were net sellers of 4.73 trillion [...]
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) — The average debt held by wage workers in South Korea edged up in 2023 from the previous year, despite a rise in the benchmark interest rate, partly due to government-funded low-interest loan programs for low-income individuals, the statistics agency said Thursday. The average bank and non-bank loans extended to [...]