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Lee Kyung-min

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Commercial lenders, financial entities rush to counter weakening won

Financial authorities are strengthening coordinated efforts with banks, insurers and brokerages to prevent the Korean currency from weakening to 1,500 won relative to the U.S. dollar, part of a shift away from monitoring to supervisory intervention of both retail and corporate dollar demands, market watchers said Sunday. Financial service providers are instructed to curb dollar-focused marketing and incentivize dollar-to-won conversion, reflecting the belief that private-sector dollar hoarding is a significant issue driving the won's weakness. Whether this pressure will slow the won’s depreciation will become clearer in the weeks ahead. Skepticism lingers that financial institutions are able to reorient their business strategies, especially when factoring in currency stability considerations at the expense of near-term margins. According to financial market sources, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) and Bank of Korea (BOK) have had several meetings with financial institutions recently to discuss the won's sustained depreciation. The currency weakening is driven in part, they say,

Jan 18, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Commercial lenders, financial entities rush to counter weakening won
Banking & Finance

Investors urged to seek $29.3 mil. in unclaimed dividends and other financial assets

Investors are being encouraged to check for unclaimed dividends and shares worth a combined 43.2 billion won ($29.3 million), associated with over 2 million shares, the Korea Securities Depository (KSD) said Thursday. The stock deposit service provider’s campaign aims to help shareholders locate their unclaimed financial assets, including 24.95 billion won held by the Korea Inclusive Finance Agency under a law supporting financial access for ordinary citizens. The 43 billion won comes from “unregistered shares,” which arise when investors withdraw physical share certificates from securities firms but fail to register them in their own name. Investors typically withdraw shares for safekeeping, for transfer or to put them up as collateral for loans. While the shares remain legally unregistered, dividends and bonus shares — collectively called entitlements from unregistered shares — are generated but remain unclaimed until shareholders file a claim. Since 2018, KSD has conducted a campaign to help investors reclaim these assets, and so far has returned about 2.91 billion won to own

Jan 15, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Investors urged to seek $29.3 mil. in unclaimed dividends and other financial assets
Banking & Finance

Weakening won major factor in rate freeze: BOK head

The renewed weakness of the Korean currency against the U.S. dollar was a major factor in the central bank’s latest decision to freeze the key policy rate, the nation's top monetary policymaker said Thursday. Five of the six rate-setting members of the monetary policy board thought that the rate freeze is likely to remain in place, while the remaining member said the possibility of a cut should be left open, according to the bank’s three-month forward guidance. “Currency considerations were undeniably the main determinant in the monetary policy decision to leave the key rate at 2.5 percent,” Bank of Korea Gov. Rhee Chang-yong said during a press conference at the bank headquarters in Seoul. The won strengthened by about 40 won to trade at around 1,430 per dollar by the end of last year, but has since slid into the mid- to high-1,400 won range this year, a development he said warrants caution. About 75 percent of the won’s year-to-date weakness is attributable to U.S. dollar strength, yen weakness and geopolitical risks involving Venezuela, while the remaining 25 percent reflect

Jan 15, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Weakening won major factor in rate freeze: BOK head
Banking & Finance

Retail investors turn to gold ETFs amid weakening won

A growing number of retail investors are increasing their holdings of gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), prompted by rising demand for safe-haven assets as the Korean currency weakens and global geopolitical and policy uncertainties intensify, market watchers said Wednesday. The surge coincides with the Korean currency losing ground against the dollar to the 1,480 won-level, despite showing moderate strength over the past few weeks. Many see gold priced in U.S. dollars as a better bet to hedge against currency depreciation and inflation. According to ETF Check operated by KOSCOM, a capital market IT solution service provider, retail investors net purchased 92.3 billion won worth of the ACE KRX Gold Spot ETF over the past month. That represented a net inflow of 29.6 billion won, pushing the fund’s net asset value to over 4 trillion won. Currency movements are adding to gold’s appeal. The Korean won strengthened to around the 1,430 won-level late last year following government verbal intervention and a variety of incentives to curb U.S. dollar demands. However, the Korean currency has ste

Jan 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Retail investors turn to gold ETFs amid weakening won
Banking & Finance

Brokerage stocks set for record highs, dividend surprises expected

The brokerage industry is entering a strong earnings cycle, underpinned by months of benchmark stock index KOSPI’s rally amid steady capital inflows, trading fee income growth and rising expectations for sizable dividend increases, market watchers said Wednesday. Further advancing the optimism is vibrant trading activity, coupled with a growing number of investors orienting their cash from banks to equities. Brokerage stocks are reaching all-time highs, as rising valuations in equity-related assets and higher fee income push the combined industry earnings forecasts well above earlier market consensus. According to financial market data, Kiwoom Securities traded at around 320,000 won ($216) per share on Wednesday, nearing its all-time intraday high of 327,500 won recorded Monday. Mirae Asset Securities traded at 29,250 won, nearing its intraday peak of 30,400 won recorded on Monday. Korea Investment Holdings, the parent of Korea Investment & Securities, also traded near 173,700 won, after recording a record high of 187,400 won last November. The record prices are driven by a bullish mark

Jan 14, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Brokerage stocks set for record highs, dividend surprises expected
Banking & Finance

Gov’t move to limit crypto exchange ownership draws industry backlash

The country’s cryptocurrency industry is pushing back against the government’s plan to cap ownership stakes of major shareholders in domestic crypto exchanges, market watchers said Tuesday. This sets the stage for a political clash as main opposition party lawmakers prepare to hear the concerns of the crypto exchanges and discuss the issue amid legislation of the digital asset bill. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) seeks to cap the ownership stake limit to 20 percent, a threshold applied to alternative trading systems (ATS) under the laws governing capital markets. It reflects concerns that a small number of founders and major shareholders could exert excessive control over exchange operations, while large fee revenues are oriented toward a few individuals. However, the industry argues that this forced ownership restructuring would undermine management accountability at the expense of Korea’s competitiveness in the global digital asset market. Whether the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) will side with the exchanges during Wednesday’s policy conference will determi

Jan 13, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Gov’t move to limit crypto exchange ownership draws industry backlash
Banking & Finance

Borrowers frustrated over expanded debt relief for low-income earners

When Seoul office worker Lee Jun-ho, 40, learned that some low-income borrowers could have debts of nearly 50 million won written off after repaying only a fraction — as little as 2.5 million won — his reaction was not relief but frustration, a sentiment shared by many working professionals. “It felt like punishment for trying to hang on, meeting monthly interest payment and saving money to repay the principal,” he said. He took out the loans and has since made his payments diligently. “I work full time, wear a suit every day, and still owe what I owe. But because I’m not classified as ‘vulnerable,’ I get zero relief? I’ve never defaulted. I'm just working hard to survive. Now I see headlines like that and it makes me question whether it is worth it at all.” Lee has a mortgage and credit card loans, not to mention his wife and two children to support. “My salary looks fine on paper, but after monthly interest, living expenses and everything, there’s nothing left,” he said. “People like me are invisible in this system. We’re too ‘normal’ to qualify, I gues

Jan 13, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Borrowers frustrated over expanded debt relief for low-income earners
Banking & Finance

Mirae Asset’s ‘killer’ ETFs post 28% average returns in 2025

Mirae Asset Global Investments’ “killer product” exchange-traded funds (ETFs) generated an average total return of 27.9 percent across 605 funds in 13 regions, indicating its growing influence in global passive investing in thematic ETF markets, the company said Monday. This outperformed major benchmarks, including the S&P 500 (18.1 percent) and Nasdaq 100 (21.2 percent). Among those with strong performances were 25 ETFs that generated more than 100 percent returns, led by commodity-focused products such as Global X Gold Explorers (186.6 percent) and Global X Silver Miners UCITS (184.9 percent). They surged on rallies in the gold and silver markets. Domestic ETFs under the TIGER brand also excelled amid a bullish Korean equity market. The firm’s nine TIGER ETFs surpassed 100 percent returns, including TIGER K-Defense & Space, while the benchmark TIGER 200 gained 94.8 percent. TIGER Semiconductor TOP10 grew 121.1 percent, the highest among local semiconductor ETFs. Its Global X Defense Tech product attracted $3.5 billion (5.1 trillion won), exceeding U.S. defense ETFs, while its Glo

Jan 12, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Mirae Asset’s ‘killer’ ETFs post 28% average returns in 2025
Banking & Finance

Financial firms warn mandatory voice phishing compensation could backfire

The government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are forcing financial firms to compensate voice phishing victims, regardless of who is at fault, fanning concerns over how far consumer protection should go without distorting incentives in the financial system, market watchers said Monday. The move seeks to curb rapidly rising incidents of financial scams, but many say if banks are to bear the burdens exclusively, it could ultimately lead to more sophisticated scam tactics. Behind the drive is a concern that voice phishing tactics are evolving too fast for individual customers alone to avoid falling victim to the scams. National Police Agency data showed losses from voice phishing exceeded 1.1 trillion won ($748 million) in the first 11 months of 2025, up more than 56 percent from a year earlier. According to political circles, the ruling party's anti-voice phishing task force together with a pan-government task force is in the process of introducing legislation under the principle of “no-fault compensation.” The bill will require banks to reimburse victims up to a certai

Jan 12, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Financial firms warn mandatory voice phishing compensation could backfire
Policy

Leveraged retail investors, foreign net buying to drive KOSPI rally

Korea’s stock market rally is expected to continue, driven by heavily leveraged retail investors and a renewed wave of foreign net buying, as optimism grows over a global recovery in the semiconductor industry, data showed Friday. The rally is being driven mainly by semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are attracting both retail investors borrowing on margin and strong foreign net buying. According to the Financial Supervisory Service, margin loans linked to Samsung Electronics reached a record 1.8 trillion won ($1.35 billion). Margin balances are funds borrowed by investors against shares they have and are widely viewed as a barometer for speculative trading by retail investors. Margin loans have nearly doubled since October and are more than twice the level seen during the 2021 post-pandemic rally, when Samsung’s share price was also soaring. SK Hynix has seen a similar buildup. Margin loans linked to the chipmaker reached 1.15 trillion won, up sharply from 884.1 billion won at the end of last year. As for the broader market, total margin lending climbed to 27

Jan 9, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Leveraged retail investors, foreign net buying to drive KOSPI rally
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