SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — In a sign of shifting market dynamics, new applications for reverse mortgages in South Korea increased while cancellations decreased as the real estate market showed signs of cooling at the end of last year. According to data from the Korea Housing Finance Corporation’s housing finance statistics system, new reverse mortgage [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Investors are pouring a large amount of money into funds that invest in U.S. stocks on hopes that President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy would help further boost the U.S. stock market, data showed Tuesday. According to the data from market tracker FnGuide, 167 funds that invest in U.S. [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s economic growth could stagnate at around 1% if political instability continues, warns a report by the Hyundai Research Institute. Released on Sunday, the report highlights both domestic and international risks weighing on Asia’s fourth-largest economy, which is already grappling with weakening market confidence. Political and Economic Pressures Domestically, [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, South Korea’s imported car market has experienced a two-year consecutive decline in sales. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) on January 15, the number of newly registered imported passenger vehicles in 2024 totaled 263,288 units, marking [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean won experienced a sharp decline last month, mirroring the drop in Russia’s ruble amid ongoing conflict, according to recent data. This currency depreciation, driven by the December 3 martial law incident, has heightened concerns over inflation in a country heavily reliant on imports. As the high exchange [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — The debt burden among South Korea’s self-employed in their 50s and 60s has surged to unprecedented levels, raising concerns over financial stability amid sluggish domestic demand and persistently high interest rates. According to data submitted by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) to Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Kang-il, as of November [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — A new survey reveals that one in three small business owners in Korea increased their borrowing in 2024, highlighting the ongoing financial challenges faced by the sector. According to a study released on January 8 by the Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ), 34.9% of small business owners who hold loans [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s stock market stumbled on January 7 after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed at CES 2025 that the company’s new GeForce RTX graphics processing unit (GPU) will use DRAM supplied by Micron Technology, sidelining Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The announcement cooled investor sentiment, halting the recent rally that [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — A 30-year-old loan shark who allegedly drove a single mother to suicide through relentless harassment and threats has been indicted and will face trial, South Korean prosecutors announced on January 3, 2025. The suspect, identified only as A, was charged with violating multiple laws, including the Act on Registration of [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Purchasing a home in Seoul remains a significant financial challenge, with residents needing to save their entire salaries for 13 years to afford a property, according to data released by South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport on Friday. The report highlights ongoing housing affordability issues across the country, [...]