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Jun Ji-hye

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Hello, I am Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at The Korea Times. I primarily cover financial authorities and write articles on a wide range of topics related to finance and capital markets. If you have any information to share, feel free to email me at jjh@koreatimes.co.kr, and I will review it carefully. I am committed to always doing my best to communicate with readers through high-quality articles.

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Companies

MBK says Homeplus' accounting was lawful, rejects prosecution's claims

Homeplus’ accounting practices were lawful and MBK Partners Chairman Michael ByungJu Kim played no role in the matter, the private equity firm said Monday, rejecting the prosecution’s allegations and media reports. MBK, the largest shareholder of the country’s second-largest supermarket chain, also said the conversion of redeemable convertible preferred shares (RCPS) issued by Homeplus and the revaluation of its land assets were legitimate accounting measures carried out in full compliance with applicable accounting standards. The remarks came as detention hearings are set to take place at the Seoul Central District Court for Chairman Kim, MBK Vice Chairman and Homeplus co-CEO Kim Kwang-il, MBK Vice President Kim Jeong-hwan and Homeplus Chief Financial Officer Lee Sung-jin. Last week, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office requested arrest warrants for the four in connection with Homeplus’ controversial filing for court-led rehabilitation in March last year. “Chairman Kim had no involvement in the accounting matters at issue,” an MBK official said. “The appropriat

Jan 12, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
MBK says Homeplus' accounting was lawful, rejects prosecution's claims
Cryptocurrency

Delayed corporate access fuels frustration in Korea's shrinking crypto market

Concerns are growing within the domestic virtual asset market as the release of guidelines allowing corporations to open bank accounts for cryptocurrency transactions has been delayed beyond its planned timeline, industry officials said Monday. The delay has intensified frustration toward financial authorities amid a sharp slump in trading across the domestic market, as exchanges have viewed the entry of corporate investors as the most effective way to revive transaction volumes. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) allowed nonprofit entities such as social welfare organizations and universities to open accounts for virtual asset transactions in the second quarter of last year. At the time, the country’s top financial regulator said it would extend the policy to for-profit corporations in the latter half of 2025. In preparation, major exchanges including Upbit and Bithumb formed dedicated corporate service teams, launched specialized webpages and hosted offline seminars to court potential corporate clients in advance. Contrary to those expectations, the process has been delayed, wit

Jan 12, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Delayed corporate access fuels frustration in Korea's shrinking crypto market
Companies

Korean beauty firms race toward IPOs on global boom

A growing number of domestic cosmetics manufacturers and distributors are gearing up for initial public offerings (IPOs) this year as the global popularity of Korean beauty products continues to fuel business expansion, according to investment banking industry officials, Sunday. Goodai Global, which operates several K-beauty brands including Beauty of Joseon, is set to wrap up bidding on Wednesday to select its IPO underwriters. The company launched IPO preparations last month by distributing requests for proposals to securities firms at home and abroad. It plans to finalize a shortlist on Jan. 21, followed by competitive presentations on Jan. 26 and 27 to form its underwriting lineup. Founded in 2015, Goodai Global has positioned itself as “Korea’s L’Oreal,” expanding its scale by acquiring local indie brands that had already gained traction in overseas markets. Its key brands include Beauty of Joseon, which gained global recognition through its sunscreen products, as well as Tirtir and Skinfood, both of which found early success in Japan. “Brands under Goodai Global’s wing

Jan 11, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Korean beauty firms race toward IPOs on global boom
Banking & Finance

KB, Shinhan set for fiercer rivalry as AI-driven shift reshapes finance

The rivalry between KB Financial Group, which is seeking to hold onto its No. 1 position, and Shinhan Financial Group, eager to regain the top spot, is set to intensify this year as both groups reshuffle their lineups, industry officials said Sunday. This comes at a critical turning point for the financial sector, marked by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and a prolonged low-growth environment. KB Financial has recently reshaped its organizational structure, launching a new future strategy division that integrates group-wide strategy, synergy and environmental, social and corporate governance functions with AI, data and digital innovation initiatives. The reorganization underscores KB’s full-scale push to accelerate AI-led transformation across the group this year. As part of that effort, KB convened a management workshop last Friday, bringing together its entire executive leadership to review business strategies under the theme “Transition and Expansion.” During the session, Chairman Yang Jong-hee said, "All executives and employees must evolve into strategists and innov

Jan 11, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
KB, Shinhan set for fiercer rivalry as AI-driven shift reshapes finance
Companies

MBK legal woes raise uncertainty over Homeplus restructuring, Korea Zinc control

Key issues involving MBK Partners, including the court-led Homeplus rehabilitation proceedings and the ongoing management control dispute at Korea Zinc, have fallen into uncertainty after prosecutors sought arrest warrants for four senior MBK executives, including Chairman Michael ByungJu Kim, over controversy surrounding Homeplus’ rehabilitation filing, industry officials said Thursday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office requested arrest warrants for Chairman Kim, MBK Vice Chairman and Homeplus CEO Kim Kwang-il, MBK Vice President Kim Jeong-hwan and Homeplus Chief Financial Officer Lee Sung-jin, Wednesday, on charges of fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and violations of the Capital Markets Act. A detention hearing for Chairman Kim at the Seoul Central District Court is scheduled for next Tuesday. The individuals are considered central figures within the private equity firm. Chairman Kim serves as its ultimate decision-maker, while Vice Chairman Kim has been overseeing both matters in his dual roles as CEO of Homeplus and a non

Jan 8, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
MBK legal woes raise uncertainty over Homeplus restructuring, Korea Zinc control
Others

Tech-driven listings fuel expectations for IPO upcycle in Korea

Korea’s initial public offering (IPO) market is expected to see a revival in the early months of this year, driven by technology-focused growth sectors such as robotics, biotechnology and medical devices, securities industry officials said Thursday. Analysts said the IPO market is entering an upcycle, coinciding with a KOSPI rally and a spillover effect from regulatory reforms introduced in the second half of last year. Those reforms delayed some listings, which are now expected to be concentrated in this year. In December, six companies, including Cosmo Robotics, Inventera and MEZOO, received approval from the Korea Exchange for preliminary listing reviews. These firms are now coordinating key details such as deal structures, target price bands and demand forecast schedules with their underwriters, with the filing of securities registration statements expected to begin as early as February. The companies that cleared the preliminary review are notable for their differentiated technologies and business strengths. Cosmo Robotics specializes in autonomous robots and robot control system

Jan 8, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Tech-driven listings fuel expectations for IPO upcycle in Korea
Companies

Korea Zinc shares slide over MSCI index exclusion after rights issue

Korea Zinc shares fell sharply Tuesday after its exclusion from the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) index was announced a day earlier. The removal, set to take effect next Monday, followed the zinc smelting firm’s latest third-party share issuance to finance its smelter project in Tennessee. According to the Korea Exchange, the stock slid 8.8 percent to 1.19 million won ($825) at the close. Shares opened at 1.31 million won and initially climbed to 1.327 million won, but soon reversed course and widened losses as the session progressed. Meanwhile, the KOSPI gained 67.96 points, or 1.52 percent, to close at 4,525.48. Selling pressure was led by foreign brokerages, with Merrill Lynch and Citigroup ranking among the top sellers. The sell-off followed MSCI’s announcement a day earlier that the zinc smelting company would be excluded. The index provider said Korea Zinc failed to meet free-float and free-float-adjusted market capitalization requirements after conducting a third-party share issuance. On Dec. 15, Korea Zinc announced plans to invest about 11 trillion won in partne

Jan 6, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Korea Zinc shares slide over MSCI index exclusion after rights issue
Banking & Finance

Major banks see time deposit growth stall amid equity boom

The combined balance of time deposits at the nation’s five major banks rose by just 1.4 percent in 2025, a sharp slowdown in growth as a strong stock market drew money away from banks’ main funding sources, industry officials said Tuesday. Time deposits at KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NongHyup Bank totaled 939.3 trillion won ($650 billion) at the end of 2025, marking a modest increase of about 1.4 percent, or 12.6 trillion won, up from 926.7 trillion won at the end of 2024. The pace of growth slowed sharply from 2024, when balances jumped by 77.4 trillion won from the previous year, a 9.1 percent increase. The slowdown is widely attributed to last year’s exceptional stock market rally, which saw the KOSPI surpass the 4,000 level for the first time. In December alone, time deposit balances fell by 32.7 trillion won from the previous month, with market watchers saying funds from maturing deposits flowed into equities and alternative investments such as cryptocurrencies, rather than remaining in bank deposit products. Time deposits, which offer a safe way to manage large sums a

Jan 6, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Major banks see time deposit growth stall amid equity boom
Banking & Finance

Coupang Financial under scrutiny over high-interest loans to third-party sellers

Coupang Financial, the financial arm of Coupang, is facing mounting scrutiny after Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Gov. Lee Chan-jin publicly criticized the company, Monday, saying its high-interest loans to third-party sellers with rates nearing 19 percent annually are “difficult to justify." The financial watchdog is examining whether Coupang Financial violated relevant laws, focusing on the structure of the controversial loan product and compliance with disclosure requirements. The FSS has completed an on-site review and is now discussing whether to launch a full-scale inspection. “This case could be viewed as unfair practices from a business ethics perspective,” Lee told reporters. “The company appears to have arbitrarily applied an interest rate calculation that is difficult to justify, ultimately giving the impression of excessive profit-taking.” He added that his agency is “moving toward a formal inspection after conducting a detailed on-site review.” Coupang has been mired in multiple controversies, including a data breach and allegations that it covered up deat

Jan 5, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Coupang Financial under scrutiny over high-interest loans to third-party sellers
Banking & Finance

AIA rolls out dollar pension as demand for foreign currency insurance grows

AIA Korea introduced a new U.S. dollar-denominated pension insurance product tailored to a rapidly aging society and earlier retirement, the company said Monday. The launch comes as demand for dollar-denominated insurance has surged amid a sharp weakening of the won against the dollar. In such products, both premiums and payouts are made in U.S. dollars. They typically offer higher interest rates than dollar savings accounts while allowing policyholders to benefit from exchange rate movements. AIA’s monthly interest-linked plan offers multiple incentives, including a pension enhancement bonus after a certain period, a bonus linked to U.S. interest rates and, for long-term policyholders, a high-value contract bonus of up to 15 percent of the basic premium at the start of pension payments. “Because pension assets are intended to support an extended retirement, leveraging the U.S. dollar as a global safe asset helps maximize value and enables stable pension income over the mid- to long term,” an AIA Korea official said. The product also provides a range of retirement planning and post

Jan 5, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
AIA rolls out dollar pension as demand for foreign currency insurance grows
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