Korea Times Politics & City Reporter
Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
KB Kookmin Bank has been selected as the top domestic commercial bank for the 12th consecutive year in the Best Korea Brands 2024 ranking presented by Interbrand, the bank announced earlier this week.
Shinhan Card and Lotte Card, which had both ventured into Vietnam in search of a new growth driver, are now struggling with annual losses due mainly to the prolonged high interest rates wreaking havoc on the local economies of the Southeast Asian country. In response, both credit companies have been focusing on digital solutions as strategies to attract young customers.
The government unveiled a 26 trillion won ($19 billion) package of comprehensive government support for the country's semiconductor industry, Thursday, to offer Korean companies a boost as competition intensifies among global chip manufacturers.
Starting from June, retail investors will be able to invest in government bonds in small amounts, if they hold an account exclusive to an individual investor's treasury bond investment.
The two largest creditors of Korea's biggest shipping company, HMM, decided to exercise their stock conversion rights for 100 billion won ($73 million) worth of 30-year maturity hybrid bonds of the shipping company, HMM said earlier this week.
The foreign ownership rate of Korea's four major financial groups has reached an all-time high, due mainly to the government-led Corporate Value-up Program and increased shareholder return policies of the country’s financial giants.
Korea's financial authorities and the heads of the country's major financial institutions met global institutional investors from Wall Street and New York to present their ambitious visions for the Corporate Value-Up Program, a government-led initiative seeking to propel the Korean stock market to new heights, according to the authorities, Sunday.
Jeonbuk Bank has formed a partnership with Credit Bureau Cambodia (CBC) and Korea Credit Bureau (KCB) to establish cross-border credit reporting between Cambodia and Korea, the regional bank announced Sunday.
HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has emerged as the sixth wealthiest among Korea's major conglomerate leaders based on total stock holdings. Bang's equity holdings surpass those of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo.
Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Governor Lee Bok-hyun and heads of financial groups and companies travelled to New York this week to promote Korea's capital market as well as its government-led corporate value enhancement program.