SEOUL, June 19 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s internet-only lender Kakao Bank said Thursday it has received approval from the Thai government to operate a “virtual bank,” marking the first reentry of a Korean bank into the Thai market in 25 years. The Thai Ministry of Finance recently selected a consortium formed by Kakao Bank [...]
SEOUL, June 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean stocks closed higher for the third consecutive session Wednesday, led by big gains in market heavyweight Samsung Electronics and IT shares. The local currency was trading lower against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 21.89 points, or 0.74 percent, to end [...]
SEOUL, June 18 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s financial regulator has issued a consumer alert warning the public about a rise in fraudulent schemes involving fake promises of imminent stock market listings—an increasingly sophisticated scam targeting retail investors amid the country’s recent market rebound. According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), scam operators are falsely [...]
SEOUL, June 17 (Korea Bizwire) — On a weekday, a real estate agency in Seoul’s Mapo District was juggling multiple phone inquiries from prospective homebuyers but had little to offer, largely due to recent price hikes that encouraged home owners to withdraw their offerings in hope of further increases. “We are getting inquiries from over [...]
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean stocks soared to the highest mark in over three years Monday, driven by big gains in the defense, energy and IT sectors. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 52.04 points, or 1.8 percent, to end at [...]
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced new measures on Sunday to enhance oversight of real estate transactions involving foreign nationals, aiming to address rising concerns over transparency, market disruption, and perceived unequal treatment of domestic buyers. As foreign ownership of property in South Korea increases, Seoul officials plan to scrutinize sources [...]
SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Global investors are showing renewed confidence in South Korea’s stock market, with over ₩1 trillion (US$770 million) pouring into the iShares MSCI Korea ETF (ticker: EWY) this month alone—the highest monthly inflow in 18 months. The U.S.-listed exchange-traded fund, which offers global investors passive exposure to Korea’s leading equities, has [...]
SEOUL, June 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s household debts stood at nearly 1.7 times their disposable income, data showed Sunday, with the pressure for loan repayment driving down consumer spending, potentially triggering an economic recession. The debt-to-income ratio for South Korean households and nonprofit organizations came to 174.7 percent as of end-2024, according to [...]
SEOUL, June 13 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean stocks snapped their seven-day winning streak Friday as rising tensions in the Middle East heightened investors’ risk-off sentiment. The local currency was trading sharply lower against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 25.41 points, or 0.87 percent, to close at 2,894.62. [...]
SEOUL, June 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Foreign investment in South Korean securities recorded the largest net inflow in nearly two years in May, supported by easing domestic political uncertainties and reduced concerns over the United States’ trade policy, the central bank said Friday. Offshore investors purchased a net US$9.29 billion worth of local stocks and [...]