SEOUL, June 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s stock market has soared for six consecutive trading days following the inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung, but retail investors who bet against the rally are now grappling with mounting losses. The benchmark KOSPI index closed above the 2,920 mark on Thursday, up 8.19% since June 4—Lee’s first [...]
SEOUL, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) — President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping vision to revitalize South Korea’s capital markets by promoting dividend-friendly policies, cracking down on unfair trading practices, and positioning equities as a viable alternative to real estate for household investment. Speaking at a roundtable held at the Korea Exchange’s Market Surveillance Committee [...]
SEOUL, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) – Household loans extended by South Korean banks rose sharply in May, central bank data showed Wednesday, driven by an increase in housing transactions. Banks’ outstanding household loans stood at 1,155.3 trillion won (US$845.07 billion) as of end-May, up 5.2 trillion won from a month earlier, according to the data [...]
SEOUL, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s exports went up 5.4 percent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of this month driven by robust demand for semiconductors and automobiles, data showed Wednesday. Outbound shipments reached US$15.47 billion in the June 1-10 period, compared with $14.68 billion tallied a year earlier, according [...]
Seoul, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Foreign investors have poured nearly 4 trillion won into South Korea’s stock markets so far this month, igniting fresh optimism that the benchmark KOSPI index could break through the symbolic 3,000-point barrier in the coming weeks. According to financial data provider Yonhap Infomax, foreign investors have recorded net purchases of [...]
SEOUL, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) —As South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party accelerates efforts to legalize and regulate won-based stablecoins, industry insiders warn that a hasty rollout could expose the financial system to disorder and weaken the country’s global competitiveness. In a move reflecting growing pressure from lawmakers, a consortium of major South Korean banks — including [...]
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — As momentum builds for the launch of won-backed stablecoins in South Korea, the Bank of Korea (BOK) is mounting a vocal defense of the traditional monetary system, warning that poorly designed frameworks could undermine financial stability and weaken the won’s position as legal tender. The central bank will host [...]
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean companies turned to banks at a significantly higher rate in the first quarter of 2025, with demand for operating funds driving a sharp rise in corporate borrowing, according to new data released Tuesday by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The total outstanding loans to local companies reached 1,979.5 [...]
SEOUL, June 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Transactions of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives rose to the highest level last year, helped by a sharp increase in currency forwards and interest swaps, data showed Tuesday. The combined turnover of OTC derivatives, including stock options and interest rate swaps, came to 26,461 trillion won (US$19.41 trillion) last year, up [...]
SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Leading global investment banks have begun upgrading their forecasts for South Korea’s economic growth in 2025, citing expectations of fiscal stimulus from the new administration and easing trade tensions between the U.S. and China. After months of downward revisions driven by sluggish domestic consumption and weak exports, institutions such [...]