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Lee Yeon-woo

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Lee Yeon-woo is a financial journalist at The Korea Times. Her wide range of reporting includes policies, macroeconomics, stock market, companies and even crypto. She is passionate about connecting the dots in Korean finance and making it easier for foreign nationals to understand. Based on her previous experience as a national reporter, she also has a keen interest in social issues within the sector, including gender equality and ESG. Your tips and insights are always appreciated. You can send them to yanu@koreatimes.co.kr.

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Cryptocurrency

Dunamu targets growth beyond Korea's crypto market

Dunamu is pursuing its next phase of growth beyond Korea, aiming to connect the country's digital asset ecosystem with global financial markets, company CEO Oh Kyoung-suk said Wednesday. "Korea has world-class capabilities in digital assets, with a large user base, ample liquidity and strong expertise, but much of that strength remains confined to the domestic market," Oh said during a keynote speech at Korea Blockchain Week. "What matters is connecting this competitive market with the rest of the world," Oh said. "With greater accessibility, connectivity and export potential, Korea can emerge as an important global financial hub." Oh stressed the need to establish clear and predictable channels for market entry so that global capital and companies can enter the Korean market with confidence. He also said Korea needs a framework that allows capital and digital assets entering the country to be freely exchanged for won and used in real-world financial activities. Oh said Dunamu could serve as that bridge, citing its planned business collaboration with Naver Financial. The idea is to provid

4h agoBy Lee Yeon-woo
Dunamu targets growth beyond Korea's crypto market
Cryptocurrency

MoonPay launches Korea operations as part of Asia growth push

MoonPay said Tuesday that it has launched its Korean subsidiary, with plans to establish the country as a key hub for its expansion across Asia. Korea has a well-developed ecosystem spanning banks, credit card companies, lifestyle platforms and blockchain. MoonPay plans to connect its global payments and stablecoin infrastructure with Korean financial services to offer practical services, including cross-border remittances, payments and settlement, and the global distribution of digital assets. "Beyond simply holding or trading digital assets, their use could expand significantly if people were able to send, receive and make payments through familiar financial services," said Lee Bu-geon, MoonPay's head of Asia. "We will work with our domestic partners to build on-chain financial services that are faster, more affordable and more convenient." It is particularly focused on demand for cross-border fund flows, including remittances for international students, payments by foreign nationals in Korea, overseas payments by businesses and the global distribution of Korean digital assets. MoonPay

1d agoBy Lee Yeon-woo
MoonPay launches Korea operations as part of Asia growth push
Banking & Finance

Global proxy advisers scrutinize KB Financial's surprise leadership change

KB Financial Group's surprise decision to replace its incumbent chairman despite record earnings is under closer shareholder scrutiny, with the world's two largest proxy advisory firms reviewing the nomination ahead of a shareholder vote, industry officials said Tuesday. Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis told The Korea Times that they are currently reviewing company proposals ahead of an extraordinary shareholders meeting scheduled for Nov. 20. Neither has yet issued a recommendation on the appointment of Lee Jae-keun as KB Financial's next chairman. Glass Lewis said it was unable to comment on the nomination at this stage because its research on the company was still underway. ISS similarly said its recommendation would be available once its research is published. "I’m happy to send you our shareholder meeting research and recommendations for KB Financial Group once we publish, which is typically 14-16 calendar days ahead of the shareholder meeting, as noted in our media policy," an ISS spokesperson said. Their recommendations could carry particular weight at KB

1d agoBy Lee Yeon-woo
Global proxy advisers scrutinize KB Financial's surprise leadership change
Economy

What's next after Korea's market rally?

Korea's stock market has already delivered strong gains. The harder part may be turning the rally into a lasting rerating. Global investors said at Korea Premium Week 2026 on Monday that doing so will require deeper changes to corporate governance, shareholder returns and taxation, along with consistent and transparent market rules. Frank Carroll, managing director at Oaktree Capital, warned regulators against abrupt interventions when markets turn volatile, arguing that policy consistency will be crucial to maintaining foreign investor confidence. "There will be a market correction, most likely driven by America," said Carroll, who has been investing in Korea since 1992. "When that correction comes, don't panic. Stay the course." He pointed to Korea's history of short-selling bans as an example of the type of intervention that risks undermining confidence in the market. "I don't believe in bans. I believe in consistency," Carroll said. "Short sellers aren't evil. People selling stocks in down markets aren't evil. That's what an open, free market is all about." Carroll also urged policymak

2d agoBy Lee Yeon-woo
What's next after Korea's market rally?
Society

'Korea's demographic crisis rooted in changing family values': Global Peace Foundation head

Korea will not reverse its demographic decline simply by spending more on policy measures, according to Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation. The deeper problem, he argues, is a transformation in how Koreans view marriage, parenthood and their obligations to one another. "The family unit is the primary and the most important cultural expression of Korea," Moon said in a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul. "The very civilization itself is now under threat because Korea had abandoned the institution that was most important to this nation." For Moon, framing the fertility crisis primarily as an economic problem misses what he sees as a more fundamental shift in values. He believes the answer lies in reviving elements of Korea's traditional family culture. The traditional Korean extended family has been characterized by strong intergenerational ties, norms of filial responsibility, respect for older family members and a high degree of mutual support across generations. Moon argues that the weakening of these structures has contributed to pro

2d agoBy Lee Yeon-woo
'Korea's demographic crisis rooted in changing family values': Global Peace Foundation head
Society

Global Family Forum highlights traditional family values amid Korea's population crisis

Korea's traditional extended-family culture could help address the country's low birthrate and deepening population crisis, according to experts and civil society leaders at the 2026 Global Family Forum in Seoul. The forum, hosted by the Federation for Korean Families, was held at the Textile Center in Seoul, Sept. 19. Held under the theme, "The Population and Family Crisis and the Value of Korean Family Culture: Transitioning toward a Family-Friendly Society and Ensuring Sustainability for Future Generations," the forum drew some 600 participants, including representatives from 180 member and partner organizations, academics, experts, civil society groups and policymakers. Participants said financial support alone would not be enough to tackle Korea's low birthrate. Alongside expanded housing and child care support, the country needs a social and cultural environment in which marriage, childbirth and family formation are viewed more positively, they added. Korea's total fertility rate rose for the second consecutive year to 0.80 in 2025, though it remains among the lowest in the OECD. F

2d agoBy Lee Yeon-woo
Global Family Forum highlights traditional family values amid Korea's population crisis
Foreign Affairs

Seoul, Kyiv clash over confidentiality as N. Korean POW repatriation goes public

South Korea and Ukraine are offering conflicting accounts of whether they had agreed to keep the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea confidential, putting the two countries publicly at odds over the handling of the sensitive issue. Cheong Wa Dae on Saturday stood by its handling of the repatriation but refrained from directly engaging with Ukraine's denial of a confidentiality agreement. "I don't think it would be appropriate to respond in detail to each comment attributed to sources," a Cheong Wa Dae official, who was accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his state visit to Mexico, told reporters. "The government's position is to handle the matter in accordance with the principles it has consistently followed, including the wishes of the individuals concerned, procedures under domestic law, international legal considerations and humanitarian principles." The comments came after RBC-Ukraine reported Friday that Ukraine had not promised to keep the repatriation confidential, citing a source in Ukraine's presidential office. The source told the outlet

Sep 26, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Seoul, Kyiv clash over confidentiality as N. Korean POW repatriation goes public
Society

Domestic violence reports surge over 44% during Chuseok holiday

Daily reports of domestic violence spiked by nearly 45 percent during last year's Chuseok holiday compared to an ordinary day — a pattern that has grown more pronounced each year since 2021, with authorities on heightened alert for this year's holiday. According to data from the National Police Agency obtained by Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party, police received 8,017 domestic violence reports via the 112 emergency hotline during the seven-day Chuseok holiday from Oct. 3-9 last year. That translates to a daily average of 1,145 reports during the holiday period, 44.5 percent higher than the typical daily average of 792. Police received a total of 289,368 domestic violence reports throughout the year. During the Chuseok holiday, the daily average rose from 914 reports in 2021 to 915 in 2022, 937 in 2023 and 1,049 in 2024, before reaching 1,145 last year. In total, police received 4,568 reports over the five-day holiday in 2021, 3,660 over four days in 2022, 5,623 over six days in 2023 and 5,246 over five days in 2024. Amid this continued increase, police plan to strengthen protec

Sep 26, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Domestic violence reports surge over 44% during Chuseok holiday
Politics

JYP founder to face National Assembly scrutiny over 'Korean Coachella' trademark

Park Jin-young, founder and chief producer of JYP Entertainment, is expected to be called to testify at a National Assembly audit over his company's move to secure trademark rights to Fanomenon, a government-backed large-scale K-pop event. Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the main opposition People Power Party said she plans to summon Park, who also serves as co-chair of the presidential committee on popular culture exchange, to explain why his company applied for the trademark rights and how they would ultimately be transferred. "The committee said the rights would later be transferred to the entity responsible for organizing the event," Bae wrote in a social media post Tuesday. "But it remains unclear why it was handled that way in the first place, when the rights will be transferred and whether the arrangement was properly reviewed," Bae said. "It has become unavoidable for us to call Park to testify at the National Assembly audit." Fanomenon, billed as Korea's answer to Coachella, is a global K-pop event being jointly organized by the presidential committee and major entertainment agencies. Sched

Sep 26, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
JYP founder to face National Assembly scrutiny over 'Korean Coachella' trademark
Economy

Investors turn cautious ahead of Chuseok, limiting KOSPI gains to 0.9%

KOSPI gave up most of its early gains Wednesday as investors adopted a wait-and-see stance on the final trading day before the Chuseok holiday. The benchmark index closed at 7,080.92, up 0.9 percent from the previous session. The index opened nearly 2 percent higher but gave up most of its gains, extending a recent pattern of strong openings followed by weaker trading later in the day. Foreign and retail investors sold a net 534.4 billion won ($393.7 million) and 1.42 trillion won in shares, respectively. Institutional investors bought a net 320.3 billion won. SK hynix rose 1.2 percent to close at 1,862,000 won, while Samsung Electronics gained 3.25 percent to finish at 285,500 won. U.S. President Donald Trump said at the U.N. General Assembly that the U.S. delegation had held talks with Iranian officials for about three hours. Iran also said it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. naval blockade is lifted, helping stabilize international oil prices and improve investor sentiment in early trading. However, with the Korean stock market closed for the Chuseok holiday on Thursday an

Sep 23, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Investors turn cautious ahead of Chuseok, limiting KOSPI gains to 0.9%
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