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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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Society

Multicultural marriages hit post-pandemic high; births rise for 1st time in 12 years

The number of multicultural marriages in Korea last year reached its highest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said Thursday. The number of births from multicultural parents also rose by more than 1,000 from a year earlier, marking the first increase in 12 years. The ministry attributed the growth to a rebound in demand for international marriages that had been subdued during the pandemic, along with the government’s strengthened family support measures, which appear to have benefited multicultural families. The number of multicultural marriages stood at 21,450 last year, up 1,019, or 5 percent, from the previous year. The figure had been on a steady rise since 2016 and reached 24,721 in 2019, before dropping sharply to 16,177 in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. It fell further to 13,916 in 2021 but has since been recovering gradually, surpassing 20,000 in 2023. “The increase likely stems from a resurgence in international marriage demand that had been suppressed during the pandemic, coupled with greater stability in the residency st

Nov 6, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Multicultural marriages hit post-pandemic high; births rise for 1st time in 12 years
Others

More than half of Koreans distrust national pension amid backlash over premium hike plan

More than half of Koreans distrust the national pension system, with most respondents viewing current contribution levels as burdensome and opposing planned premium increases, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Korea Employers Federation (KEF). In the survey, 55.7 percent of respondents said they do not trust the National Pension Service, exceeding the 44.3 percent who said they do by 11.4 percentage points. Distrust was particularly pronounced among younger generations, with 69.2 percent of respondents in their 20s and 74.7 percent in their 30s saying they do not trust the national pension system. Only those in their 50s and older showed higher levels of trust than distrust. When asked about the financial burden of pension contributions, 69.7 percent said the payments were burdensome relative to their income, including 19.7 percent who found them “very burdensome” and 50 percent who said “somewhat burdensome.” Another 25.6 percent described the level as “moderate,” while just 4.7 percent said they felt no burden. Regarding the pension reform plan that would rais

Nov 6, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
More than half of Koreans distrust national pension amid backlash over premium hike plan
Banking & Finance

KakaoBank posts record cumulative earnings on robust fee-based services, platform business

KakaoBank, the nation’s largest internet-only lender, recorded its highest-ever cumulative earnings, with net profit surpassing 370 billion won ($256 million) in the first three quarters of this year, the company said Wednesday. Despite a decline in interest income caused by the government’s tighter controls on household lending, the bank offset the impact through growth in fee-based and platform revenues. For the July-September period, the bank reported a net profit of 111.4 billion won, down 10.3 percent from 124.2 billion won a year earlier. Still, cumulative net profit for the first three quarters rose 5.5 percent year-on-year to 375.1 billion won, marking a new record for the company. “We broadened both our lending and deposit portfolios, along with noninterest income streams, driven by continued customer growth and increasing platform traffic,” a KakaoBank official said. In the first three quarters, the bank’s operating revenue totaled 2.33 trillion won, with interest income reaching 1.49 trillion won, a 3.1 percent decrease from 1.54 trillion won a year earlier. Although

Nov 5, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
KakaoBank posts record cumulative earnings on robust fee-based services, platform business
Others

News-based economic sentiment hits 4-year high on optimism over US tariff deal

Public sentiment toward the economy, as measured through economic news reports, has climbed to its most positive level in more than four years, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK) Tuesday. The improvement is largely attributed to optimism surrounding the recent Korea-U.S. summit held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, where the two nations finalized a tariff agreement. Data from the central bank showed that the news sentiment index (NSI) reached 142.62 as of Friday, the highest level since July 29, 2021, when it stood at 125.25. The index is produced by analyzing sample sentences from economic news articles, which are classified through machine learning as positive, negative or neutral. It is calculated based on the difference between the number of positive and negative sentences, with a score above 100 indicating that overall economic sentiment is more optimistic than the historical average. The index plunged to 77.08 on Dec. 10 last year following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law fiasco, but has gradually rebounded since then. It approached the 1

Nov 4, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
News-based economic sentiment hits 4-year high on optimism over US tariff deal
Others

KOSPI boom drives sharp rise in trading accounts

Korea’s stock market rally, marked by a 76 percent surge in the benchmark KOSPI this year, has driven a sharp increase in active stock trading accounts, data from the Korea Financial Investment Association showed Tuesday. As of Oct. 31, the number of active stock trading accounts stood at 95.33 million, up 8.76 million from 86.57 million at the end of last year. Unlike simple account openings, active accounts refer to those actually used for trading, defined as brokerage or investment savings accounts with deposits exceeding 100,000 won ($69) and at least one transaction in the past six months. Since inactive accounts are excluded, the figure reflects genuine investor participation. The total number of active stock trading accounts surpasses Korea’s population of 51.75 million by more than 80 percent, indicating an average of around two trading accounts per person. The surge in stock trading accounts appears to reflect rising optimism over President Lee Jae Myung’s campaign pledge to usher in the “KOSPI 5,000 era,” as the index continues to reach new record highs. The KOSPI clim

Nov 4, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
KOSPI boom drives sharp rise in trading accounts
Others

K-pop stocks rally as Xi's APEC visit fuels optimism for Korean cultural exports to China

Entertainment stocks rose sharply on expectations that China may lift its ban on Korean cultural content following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings held in Gyeongju last week, securities analysts said Monday. Optimism increased after Park Jin-young, founder of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment and co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, met with the Chinese leader during the state dinner for the Korea-China summit on Saturday, where Xi reportedly responded positively to the idea of Korean artists performing in Beijing. JYP Entertainment closed at 85,000 won ($60), up 5.07 percent from the previous session. Shares of other major entertainment firms also advanced, with SM Entertainment rising 1.26 percent and HYBE gaining 0.44 percent. The KOSPI rose 114.37 points, or 2.78 percent, to close at 4,221.87. The rally was driven by growing expectations for the resumption of cultural exchanges between Seoul and Beijing and, potentially, an end to Beijing’s ban on Korean cultural content,

Nov 3, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
K-pop stocks rally as Xi's APEC visit fuels optimism for Korean cultural exports to China
Banking & Finance

AIA Korea promotes healthier living at Seoul marathon

AIA Korea participated in the 2025 JTBC Seoul Marathon Sunday as an official sponsor for the third consecutive year, the company said Monday. This year, the insurer expanded its involvement in one of the nation’s most iconic races by introducing a new campaign, “Run Together, Give Together,” reaffirming its commitment to helping people live healthier, longer and better lives. The marathon featured a distinctive AIA-exclusive experience. Team AIA runners trained under Korean women’s marathon legend Kwon Eun-joo and her professional coaching team, ran side by side during the event and enjoyed special access to the AIA experience booth in Yeouido Park, dedicated to celebrating runners and promoting health and wellness. A total of 730 AIA runners took part, including customers, AIA Premier Partners’ master planners, telesales representatives and employees, many of whom were first-time marathoners. Alongside the new campaign, AIA Korea pledged to donate 100 million won ($70,000) to the National Cancer Center. “It is an honor for AIA Korea to sponsor the JTBC Seoul Marathon for the

Nov 3, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
AIA Korea promotes healthier living at Seoul marathon
Politics

Partisan clash looms over Lee’s 2026 budget amid increasing deficit

The National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, marking the start of parliamentary scrutiny of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s first budget proposal, officials said Sunday. The government has proposed a 728 trillion won ($509 billion) budget for next year, up 8 percent from this year, with both ruling and opposition lawmakers agreeing that spending directly related to people’s livelihoods should be prioritized. However, disputes are expected over Lee’s flagship initiatives, including local gift certificates and the so-called National Growth Fund, a government-led public-private initiative for strategic economic growth, as well as over the broader issue of expansionary fiscal policy. This raises uncertainty over whether the budget can be passed by the legal deadline of Dec. 2. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is committed to passing the government’s first budget under the Lee administration, aiming to strongly support the president's initiatives, such as the transition toward artificial intelligence. The party

Nov 3, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Partisan clash looms over Lee’s 2026 budget amid increasing deficit
Others

KOSPI's surge triggers rapid 'money move' from banks to stock market

Kim, a 34-year-old employee at a consulting firm in Seoul, recently withdrew 50 million won ($35,000) from his bank savings account and invested it in the stock market. He said he felt the atmosphere had changed as the KOSPI surpassed 4,000 points while deposit rates remained in the 2 percent range. “I decided it was better to invest in semiconductor- and artificial intelligence-related stocks with higher growth potential rather than leaving my money in the bank,” he said. Like Kim, more individual investors are withdrawing funds from bank deposits and shifting them into equities as Korea’s main bourse, the KOSPI, has posted the world’s highest growth rate this year. The KOSPI jumped about 19 percent in October alone, surpassing the 4,000-point mark for the first time. Each time the index hits a new record high, massive amounts of idle money flow into the capital market, further driving the rally. According to industry officials, Sunday, the country’s five major commercial banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori, Hana and NH NongHyup — saw their combined demand deposit balances f

Nov 2, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
KOSPI's surge triggers rapid 'money move' from banks to stock market
Companies

Chipmakers poised to enter super-cycle as AI demand, DRAM shortages drive growth

With both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix reporting record third-quarter earnings, Korea’s semiconductor sector is poised for a strong performance next year, potentially entering a super-cycle, analysts said Thursday. According to financial data provider FnGuide, Samsung Electronics’ consensus estimates for next year — based on the average of brokerage forecasts — anticipate revenue of 367 trillion won ($257 billion) and operating profit of 63 trillion won. SK hynix is expected to record 118 trillion won in revenue and 59 trillion won in operating profit, bringing the combined operating profit of the two companies to more than 120 trillion won. Analysts expect the semiconductor market to enter a super-cycle in 2026, driven by factors such as expanding artificial intelligence (AI) and data center demand, rising high-bandwidth memory (HBM) requirements and robust dynamic random access memory (DRAM) prices. The two Korean chipmakers are forecasted to surpass their previous earnings records in the coming year, a trend already reflected in their third-quarter performance. Samsung Elec

Oct 30, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Chipmakers poised to enter super-cycle as AI demand, DRAM shortages drive growth
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