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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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Banking & Finance

Financial groups favor leadership continuity amid regulatory governance push

Major financial groups’ year-end CEO appointments at their subsidiaries are widely viewed as prioritizing continuity over bold reshuffles, despite broad-based organizational overhauls that have included the creation and expansion of teams focused on productive finance in line with the Lee Jae Myung government’s financial transformation drive, industry officials said Monday. Financial authorities, meanwhile, have raised concerns over entrenched practices in appointing financial holding group chairmen and CEOs and are preparing to launch a task force to overhaul corporate governance more broadly, heightening tensions across the financial sector. The four major financial groups — KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori — have a total of 52 subsidiary CEOs. Of these, 28 are set to see their terms expire by the end of the year, meaning more than half face renewal or replacement. As of Dec. 24, KB, Shinhan and Hana Financial Group have completed their appointments of subsidiary CEOs. Of the 18 executives subject to review, only five were replaced, while the remaining 13 were retained. At Woori Fi

Dec 29, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Financial groups favor leadership continuity amid regulatory governance push
Others

Retail investors bristle as gov't shifts blame for won's slide onto overseas stock traders

Lee, a 39-year-old office worker at a consulting firm who invests in Tesla and other U.S. stocks, said his frustration has grown after being notified by his brokerage that its incentive scheme for overseas stock trading would end earlier than initially thought. The move comes as financial authorities have urged brokerages to curb marketing related to overseas investment as part of efforts to prop up the local currency amid a sharp rise in the won-dollar exchange rate. “Promotional benefits and information channels for overseas investing are disappearing. It feels as though the responsibility for currency instability is being shifted onto individual investors,” Lee said. “Domestic stocks have clearly lost their appeal, yet under the banner of exchange rate stabilization, the government is intervening even in individuals’ overseas investments.” Online stock forums are also being flooded with complaints such as, “Exchange rates are a macroeconomic issue. Why are retail overseas investors being targeted?” The backlash among retail investors has intensified as the government rol

Dec 28, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Retail investors bristle as gov't shifts blame for won's slide onto overseas stock traders
Others

Top 10 Economic News Stories of 2025 A year marked by tariff truce, KOSPI 4,000 era

Korea’s economy was shaped by major external shocks and policy pivots in 2025. After months of stalled talks, Korea and the United States agreed on a deal cutting U.S. tariffs on key Korean exports to 15 percent, easing pressure on exporters. At the same time, the won weakened sharply, hovering near levels last seen during the 1998 Asian financial crisis. The government also pushed ahead with structural reforms, including separating budget functions from the finance ministry and revising the Commercial Act to strengthen shareholder rights. Financial markets were a study in contrasts. The "KOSPI 4,000 era” began as trading reached new heights, fueled by an AI-driven semiconductor supercycle. However, the rally was heavily concentrated in large-cap stocks, leaving concerns over volatility and overseas profit-taking unresolved. The real economy saw uneven sectoral performance. Korea’s battery industry was forced into restructuring due to a prolonged global EV slowdown, while consumer goods such as instant noodles and cosmetics posted record export growth on the back of K-content popul

Dec 25, 2025By Jun Ji-hye and Lee Gyu-lee
[Top 10 Economic News Stories of 2025] A year marked by tariff truce, KOSPI 4,000 era
Companies

Court rejects Young Poong-MBK injunction bid, clears Korea Zinc’s US smelter plan

Korea Zinc has cleared a key legal hurdle, paving the way for its planned third-party share issuance to fund a U.S. smelter construction project. The development follows a Seoul court’s decision on Wednesday to dismiss an injunction request filed by the Young Poong–MBK Partners alliance amid an ongoing management control dispute. Following the decision, Korea Zinc’s U.S. joint venture is expected to secure a 10 percent stake in the company later this month, allowing the Crucible Project to build a large-scale smelter in Tennessee to proceed on schedule. Young Poong and MBK voiced disappointment over the ruling, reiterating concerns about potential dilution of existing shareholder value and longer-term financial risks. Even so, the alliance said it would support the project to help ensure its smooth execution. The alliance is the largest shareholder of the world’s largest zinc smelter and has challenged Chairman Choi Yun-beom’s leadership since September 2024, arguing that his mismanagement has weakened the company’s financial health. Korea Zinc plans to form a joint venture,

Dec 24, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Court rejects Young Poong-MBK injunction bid, clears Korea Zinc’s US smelter plan
Banking & Finance

Korea's wealthy split over inheritance timing, asset allocation

High net worth individuals broadly share concerns that they are insufficiently prepared for inheritance and gifting, but sharp generational differences emerge over what drives conflict in asset transfers, according to a report published Wednesday by Hanwha Life’s Inheritance Solution Institute. Wealthy respondents in their 30s and 40s identified asset allocation as the primary source of tension, while those in their 60s and 70s focused more on the timing of wealth transfers. The report also revealed contrasting views on family business succession. The institute released “Journey of Wealth 2025,” its first in-depth study tracing the full life cycle of wealth, from accumulation to transfer through inheritance and gifting, viewed through a life-stage perspective. The study noted that Korea’s rapid economic growth has produced distinct generational experiences among grandparents, parents and children, resulting in fundamentally different attitudes toward wealth. Focusing on high net worth individuals in their 30s and 40s and those in their 60s and 70s — both pivotal age ranges for

Dec 24, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Korea's wealthy split over inheritance timing, asset allocation
Banking & Finance

Shinhan Card reports data breach involving 190,000 merchant records

Shinhan Card has reported a personal data breach involving around 190,000 records, including the mobile phone numbers of merchant representatives, to the state privacy regulator, the card issuer said Tuesday. The incident marks the latest in a series of data breach cases involving major companies, following recent personal information leaks at firms such as Coupang, KT, SK Telecom and Lotte Card. Shinhan Card said its internal review found that a total of 192,088 data records were exposed, adding that the incident was caused by internal misconduct by employees linked to new card solicitation, rather than by external intrusion such as hacking. The leaked data included 181,585 cases involving only the mobile phone numbers of card merchant representatives; 8,120 cases combining phone numbers and names; 2,310 cases containing phone numbers along with names, year of birth and gender; and 73 cases involving phone numbers, names and full dates of birth. The company said there was no indication that highly sensitive personal or financial information, such as resident registration numbers, card n

Dec 23, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Shinhan Card reports data breach involving 190,000 merchant records
Policy

EXPLAINER What is '51% rule'? Bank-led stablecoin plan stalls Korea's digital asset legislation

The question of who should issue a won-denominated stablecoin has emerged as a key sticking point in deliberations over the tentatively titled Digital Asset Basic Act, government and ruling party officials said Tuesday. The Bank of Korea (BOK) argues that stablecoin issuance should be restricted to consortiums led by commercial banks holding a minimum 51 percent stake, stressing the need to safeguard financial stability. The Financial Services Commission (FSC), by contrast, says opening issuance to nonbank entities, including fintech and blockchain companies, is necessary to spur innovation and invigorate the digital asset industry. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has signaled opposition to the central bank’s so-called 51 percent model, arguing that a bank-centric framework would limit innovation and weaken potential network effects. Rep. Ahn Do-geol said most of the 20 external advisers serving on the party’s digital asset task force also raised concerns about the proposed governance structure. The governing party had originally urged the FSC, the country’s top financi

Dec 23, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
[EXPLAINER] What is '51% rule'? Bank-led stablecoin plan stalls Korea's digital asset legislation
Policy

BOK rolls out temporary foreign exchange relief measures as weak won persists

The Bank of Korea (BOK) will temporarily ease foreign currency-related regulations and offer incentives to financial institutions in a bid to stabilize the foreign exchange market, as the won continues to face downward pressure, the central bank said Friday. The average won-dollar exchange rate in December through Thursday stood at 1,472.2 won, the highest level since March 1998 during the Asian financial crisis, when it reached 1,488.87 won. The prolonged weakness of the domestic currency has heightened concerns over rising inflation and growing cost burdens for importers. Earlier in the day, the central bank's monetary policy board decided at an emergency meeting to temporarily waive the foreign exchange stability levy for financial institutions from January through June next year and to pay interest on foreign currency reserve requirements during the same period. The levy, imposed under the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act on institutions holding foreign currency liabilities above a certain threshold, raises borrowing costs. Its temporary suspension is expected to lower funding cost

Dec 19, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
BOK rolls out temporary foreign exchange relief measures as weak won persists
Policy

Overseas investment boom leaves retail investors with heavy losses: FSS

Securities firms have posted record-high brokerage fee income from overseas stock trading as retail investors increasingly turn to foreign markets, but rising volatility has left about half of those investors posting losses on overseas equities, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said Friday. Against this backdrop, the financial watchdog said it will promptly escalate its reviews of overseas investment sales practices at brokerage firms into full-scale on-site inspections. It vowed to take tough measures, including the suspension of overseas stock business, if unlawful or improper conduct, such as deceptive marketing or insufficient risk disclosure, is identified. The FSS released interim results from its reviews of overseas investment practices, which have been underway since Dec. 3 at major brokerages and asset managers. The findings showed that brokerage commissions from overseas stock trading at the 12 largest securities firms totaled about 1.95 trillion won ($1.3 billion) during the January-November period, marking an all-time high and more than tripling from 581 billion won a

Dec 19, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Overseas investment boom leaves retail investors with heavy losses: FSS
Banking & Finance

Shinyoung Securities CEO Hwang elected new KOFIA chairman

Hwang Seong-yeop, co-CEO of Shinyoung Securities, was elected Thursday as the seventh chairman of the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA). His three-year term will run from January next year through December 2028. According to the association, Hwang secured 57.36 percent of the vote in a runoff ballot, defeating Lee Hyun-seung, former CEO of KB Asset Management, who received 41.81 percent. After winning the election, Hwang told reporters that “pensions” and the “capital market” would be the main priorities of his term. “I aim to foster a long-term investment culture, redirect idle liquidity into the capital market and help support the country’s strategic industries,” he said. “I will take time to listen closely to industry concerns and explore effective policy responses.” Born in 1963, Hwang joined Shinyoung Securities in 1987 and has spent nearly four decades at the company. He is widely regarded as a capital markets expert, having led most of the firm’s major divisions, including asset management, institutional business and investment banking. KOFIA has 39

Dec 18, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Shinyoung Securities CEO Hwang elected new KOFIA chairman
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