my timesThe Korea Times
jjh

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.

Go to Email

Read more

Companies

WINNING.I pioneers world’s 1st dual biometric authentication via phone cameras

A single app is now enough to simultaneously verify identity through facial and fingerprint recognition. Korean startup WINNING.I has developed the world’s first contactless biometric authentication solution that enables simultaneous facial and fingerprint recognition using both the front and rear cameras of a smartphone. This next-generation technology has drawn attention by eliminating the need for external devices or complex procedures, enabling identity verification and protection against identity theft through a single app. The technology, which has already secured domestic and international patents and certifications, is being applied across various financial services such as electronic signatures and identity verification. It also holds strong potential for broader use in sectors requiring remote identity authentication, including public services and healthcare. Leveraging this innovation, the company is accelerating its expansion into global markets. CEO Chung Woo-young, also known as William Chung, was inspired to start his business while working as a computer engineer on a pro

May 25, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
WINNING.I pioneers world’s 1st dual biometric authentication via phone cameras
Banking & Finance

Financial group heads feared to face pressure to resign under new administration

With leadership changes at financial holding companies frequently occurring with presidential transitions, the pattern is likely to continue after the upcoming June 3 election, according to industry officials, Friday. There is a widespread view within the financial sector that, regardless of whether Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung or People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo wins, heads of financial holding companies appointed during the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration are likely to face pressure to step down. In particular, with Lee leading in various opinion polls, the financial division of his campaign is reportedly led by figures who are former labor union leaders from the financial sector. This has fueled speculation that the positions of current financial holding company chairpersons could be unsettled under the new administration. Attention is especially focused on whether or not those whose terms expire next year will be able to be reappointed. According to the industry officials, Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong and Woori Financial Group Chairm

May 23, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Financial group heads feared to face pressure to resign under new administration
Banking & Finance

Banks' Q1 net income jumps 28.7% as one-off Hong Kong-tied ELS costs fade

Korean banks reported a combined net profit of 6.9 trillion won ($5 billion) in the first quarter of this year, marking a 28.7 percent increase from 5.3 trillion won a year earlier, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on Friday. The rise came despite a decline in interest income amid falling market interest rates, as the impact of one-off expenses — compensation for financial losses linked to equity-linked securities (ELS) tied to the performance of Hong Kong’s Hang Seng China Enterprises Index — faded compared to the same period last year. In the first quarter of 2023, their net profit stood at about 7 trillion won but dropped to the 5 trillion won range in the first quarter of 2024 due to large-scale compensation payments following heavy losses linked to high-volatility Hong Kong-related ELS products amid deteriorating relations between the United States and China. Data from the FSS showed that commercial and policy banks led the earnings rebound among domestic lenders in the first quarter of this year. Commercial banks earned a total net profit of 3.8 trillion w

May 23, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Banks' Q1 net income jumps 28.7% as one-off Hong Kong-tied ELS costs fade
Banking & Finance

Mirae Asset Global Investments surpasses $289 bil. in assets under management

Mirae Asset Global Investments has surpassed 400 trillion won ($289 billion) in total assets under management, reaching a significant milestone after 22 years of global expansion, the company said Wednesday. Positioning itself as a leading global asset manager, the firm now plans to drive future financial innovation through global exchange-traded funds (ETFs), pension solutions and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven strategies. Since it became the first Korean asset manager to enter overseas markets with the launch of its Hong Kong branch in 2003, the asset management arm of Mirae Asset Financial Group now operates across 16 regions, including the United States, Vietnam, Brazil, UK, India and Japan. Of its total assets under management, approximately 181 trillion won — or 45 percent — is managed outside Korea. Park Hyeon-joo, chairman and global strategy officer of Mirae Asset Financial Group, has expanded the asset manager’s global footprint by leading key mergers and acquisitions, including those with Global X in the U.S., Horizons ETFs in Canada and Stockspot in Australia. From

May 21, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Mirae Asset Global Investments surpasses $289 bil. in assets under management
Banking & Finance

'Dopamine banking' gains attention as key strategy to attract Gen Zers

"Dopamine banking" is gaining attention in the financial industry as an effective way to attract and keep Generation Z, known for their nomadic tendencies, according to the KB Financial Group Research Institute on Wednesday. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Zers are the first generation to grow up fully immersed in the mobile environment. Comfortable with smartphones and social media, they tend to prioritize emotional connection over practical functionality, and fun over pure information. The institute said in its recent report that Gen Zers' consumption habits have moved beyond trends to shape broader social norms, noting that this shift is now evident in traditional financial services — such as deposits, transfers and loans — which were once purely rational decisions but are increasingly driven by emotion and sensory appeal. This is why dopamine banking is drawing attention. Dopamine banking refers to a strategy that incorporates elements of pleasure and enjoyment into financial products and services, aiming to boost users’ immersion in banking apps. By structuring services to off

May 21, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
'Dopamine banking' gains attention as key strategy to attract Gen Zers
Banking & Finance

KDB Life faces capital erosion, raising risk of troubled financial institution designation

KDB Life Insurance, a subsidiary of state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), fell into a state of complete capital erosion as of March, raising the possibility that it may be designated a troubled financial institution, industry officials said Tuesday. Such a designation could carry significant consequences, considering that KDB Life held insurance liabilities, including future payouts to policyholders, totaling about 17 trillion won ($12.4 billion) as of March. This amount is more than four times the 4 trillion won in liabilities held by MG Non-Life Insurance, which was designated as a troubled financial institution in 2022 and is now being phased out of the market. If KDB Life is classified as a troubled financial firm, the impact on its policyholders is expected to far exceed that of MG Non-Life. The state-run bank said it plans to normalize and eventually sell its insurance subsidiary, but doing so is expected to require an enormous injection of capital. Given that the bank is funded by taxpayers, the plan is likely to draw criticism for using public funds to sustain a failing financ

May 20, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
KDB Life faces capital erosion, raising risk of troubled financial institution designation
Banking & Finance

BC Card becomes 1st financial firm to win industry minister’s commendation for innovation

BC Card has become the first financial company to receive a commendation from the minister of trade, industry and energy for its contributions to advancing technology and strengthening the competitiveness of the nation's financial industry through leading patents and innovative finance, the company said Tuesday. The award was presented at a ceremony for the 60th Invention Day, held on Monday at COEX Magok in southwestern Seoul's Gangseo District, with BC Card CEO Choi Won-seok and other key officials in attendance. Invention Day, designated by the government in 1957, is a national observance established to highlight the critical role of invention in driving technological progress. BC Card has led efforts for more than 40 years to enhance the country's card payment infrastructure, promoting the adoption of new payment technologies that improve consumer convenience. Data from the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service shows that the card firm has registered 123 patents in Korea as of April this year — the highest total not only in the card sector but across the broader se

May 20, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
BC Card becomes 1st financial firm to win industry minister’s commendation for innovation
Cryptocurrency

Upbit teams up with 'Culinary Class Wars' chef to celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day

Dunamu, the operator of Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Upbit, will launch a special "Upbit Pizza" in collaboration with chef Yoon Nam-no to celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day, the company said Monday. Yoon rose to fame through his appearance on Netflix's original "Culinary Class Wars." Bitcoin Pizza Day commemorates May 22, 2010, when programmer Laszlo Hanyecz in Florida made the first real-world transaction using bitcoin by purchasing two Domino's pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins. The date is now celebrated annually within the crypto community as a milestone in cryptocurrency history. Upbit has also hosted various annual events aimed at expanding the celebration beyond the blockchain community and engaging the general public. This year, the company plans to introduce an edible pizza to convey the meaning of Bitcoin Pizza Day in a more approachable way. Developed in collaboration with the celebrity chef, the Upbit Pizza is topped with 100 percent Korean-grown beets — a playful nod to the double meaning of "bit" in bitcoin and "beet," the root vegetable — to deliver both flavor and fun. "We

May 19, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Upbit teams up with 'Culinary Class Wars' chef to celebrate Bitcoin Pizza Day
Banking & Finance

Kbank’s postponed IPO undermines BC Card’s financial soundness

The delayed initial public offering (IPO) of Kbank is emerging as a stumbling block for BC Card, which is restructuring its revenue model following the departure of key member companies such as Woori Card, industry officials said Monday. BC Card, a subsidiary of KT, is the largest shareholder of the internet-only bank, holding approximately 34 percent of its shares. The card company, which is urgently seeking investment to diversify its business portfolio, reported a sharp decline in net profit for the first quarter of this year, due mainly to the fallout from the postponed Kbank IPO. With the IPO still delayed, BC Card is under growing pressure, as it may not be able to recover its initial investment and may even be forced to inject additional capital to acquire Kbank shares held by financial investors. According to the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system, the card firm reported a net profit of 34.1 billion won ($24.4 million) for the first quarter of this year, down 29.9 percent from 48.7 billion won a year earlier. The decline was largely attributed to a drop

May 19, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Kbank’s postponed IPO undermines BC Card’s financial soundness
Others

Korea invests more abroad, attracts less foreign investments

Foreign direct investment in Korea fell four notches in 2024 from a year earlier, ranking 17th among the world’s top 30 economies, data from the Bank of Korea (BOK) showed Sunday. The drop appeared to have been driven by foreign investors scaling back or postponing investments in response to a sharp decline in economic confidence following the Dec. 3 martial law declaration by ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. This triggered political turmoil and rattled the foreign exchange and stock markets, according to the central bank. In contrast, overseas investment by Korean individuals and corporations climbed three spots, ranking 10th. The growing imbalance between capital inflow and outflow is viewed as a potential drag on the domestic economy, raising concerns that this could undermine Korea's long-term industrial competitiveness and weaken overall economic momentum. BOK data showed that overseas investment into Korea amounted to $37.18 billion in 2024, representing a steep 33.8 percent drop from the previous year. Based on country-level data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Korea ra

May 18, 2025By Jun Ji-hye
Korea invests more abroad, attracts less foreign investments
previous page
4546474849
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.