SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – Outstanding credit card loans have risen sharply to reach an all-time high as of end-October amid tight lending regulations by banks and weak domestic demand, data showed Wednesday. Outstanding loans extended by nine major credit card firms amounted to 42.22 trillion won (US$30.25 billion) as of end-October, the largest [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – In response to the recent suicide of a sex worker driven to despair by illegal loan sharks, Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced comprehensive measures to combat predatory lending practices, particularly those targeting vulnerable populations. The city’s initiative, announced on November 3, comes after the tragic death of a single mother [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s household credit increased at a faster rate in October due to rising loans from savings banks and credit unions despite the government’s efforts to curb household debts, financial data showed Sunday. Outstanding household credit extended by all financial institutions, including commercial banks, savings banks, and insurance [...]
SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – A new study warns that the proliferation of cashless businesses could disproportionately impact older consumers who rely heavily on cash and have lower digital literacy, according to research released October 31 by the Bank of Korea. The study, conducted by Lee Kyungtae of the Bank of Korea’s Financial and Monetary [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Korea Bizwire) – Household loan growth continued in October, rising slightly higher than the previous month, the country’s chief regulator said Wednesday, but added that it is unclear whether tightened curbs on loans for home rent would be implemented this year. Kim Byoung-hwan, head of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), told reporters [...]
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – Data released by South Korea’s National Tax Service has revealed significant income disparities among the country’s workforce, with the average annual salary standing at 41.23 million won while top earners command substantially higher wages, particularly in the capital region. According to figures obtained by Representative Ahn Do-geol of the Democratic [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – In a sign of growing financial strain on South Korea’s middle and lower-income households, credit card loans, often a last resort for quick cash, have reached unprecedented levels this year. According to data released on September 18 by the Credit Finance Association, the outstanding balance of card loans, including debt [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Excess funds held by South Korean households has fallen for eight quarters in a row amid high inflation and interest rates, data showed Wednesday. The monthly surplus of a local household came to 1.01 million won (US$753.3) per month on average in the second quarter, down 1.7 percent from [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – The financial regulator said Wednesday it will work to strengthen punishment for illegal money lending businesses and nullify their very contracts that are deemed antisocial. The move follows a recent spike in the number of complaints against loan sharks, which jumped from 10,350 in 2022 to 12,884 last year, [...]
SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – The financial regulator on Monday announced plans to revise related laws to require payment gateway (PG) service providers to maintain sufficient funds to settle all payments. The move follows massive payment delays by two e-commerce platforms — TMON and WeMakePrice — due to a liquidity crisis caused by their [...]