Business - The Korea Times

Stock trading fever grips Koreans morning and night in bull market

Lim, a 40-year-old office worker living in Incheon, recently increased his stock trading activity in pre- and after-hours markets amid a sharp rally in domestic shares. “Before heading to work, I buy stocks in the premarket that react to overnight moves in U.S. markets and major news. After work, I review earnings-related stocks in the after-hours market,” he said. “My response speed has become much faster than when I invested only during regular trading hours.” Online investment communities also suggest that off-hours trading has become routine. One user recently posted that he made short-term gains by buying SK hynix shares in the after-hours market immediately after the company released its earnings results, which sent the stock sharply higher. “Even if a stock has already risen significantly during regular trading, after-hours markets allow you to react quickly when you believe there is still upside potential,” the user wrote. As Korea’s stock market surged past the 5,000-point mark on the benchmark KOSPI and the 1,000-point level on the tech-heavy secondary Kosdaq bour

Feb 3, 2026By Jun Ji-hye

Stock trading fever grips Koreans morning and night in bull market

KRX to introduce AI monitoring system to prevent pump-and-dump schemes

Korea's main bourse operator said Monday it will start operating an artificial intelligence (AI)-based market monitoring system this week, to strengthen its detection of unfair stock trading. The new system, set to be introduced Tuesday, comes in line with a set of measures announced in July by the Korea Exchange (KRX) and financial authorities to eradicate unfair trading practices in the local capital market. Such a move came after President Lee Jae Myung called for stronger measures to improve investors' trust in the local stock market, warning his administration will show stock price manipulators that they can "lose everything." The AI detection system aims to prevent pump-and-dump schemes, or the improper boosting of stock prices, typically by spreading false or misleading information online. According to the KRX, the AI will comprehensively analyze data such as online posts, videos, spam text reports and stock price data to flag equities that are highly subject to the unfair "pumping" of prices. A human will then monitor the price trends of suspicious stocks detected by the AI and ta

Feb 2, 2026By Yonhap

KRX to introduce AI monitoring system to prevent pump-and-dump schemes

Hana Financial chief cleared of legal risk as top court backs acquittal

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo has effectively shed nearly eight years of judicial uncertainty following the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of his acquittal Thursday. With the legal cloud lifted, Ham’s leadership is expected to gain renewed momentum, paving the way for faster execution of key strategies, including expansion into new businesses such as stablecoins and the acceleration of an artificial intelligence (AI)-led digital transformation. After securing reappointment at a group shareholders’ meeting last March, Ham will serve the remainder of his term through March 2028. The Supreme Court overturned the appellate court’s guilty verdict on charges of obstruction of business, remanding the case to the lower court with a ruling favoring acquittal. While the conviction for violating the Equal Employment Opportunity Act was upheld, the penalty amounts only to a fine, which does not affect Ham’s eligibility to serve as chairman. Under the Act on Corporate Governance of Financial Companies, only confirmed prison sentences disqualify executives from holding top man

Jan 29, 2026By Jun Ji-hye

Hana Financial chief cleared of legal risk as top court backs acquittal

5 major banks plan $350 million low-interest loan for Samsung chip plant

The country’s five major banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH NongHyup — are considering a plan to extend a combined low-interest loan of 500 billion won ($350 million) to Samsung Electronics to support construction of its new semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, industry insiders said Thursday. Under the proposal, each bank will provide 100 billion won. The Korea Development Bank (KDB), which manages the National Growth Fund, recently presented the financing plan to the world’s largest memory chip maker. Launched in December, the National Growth Fund aims to attract 150 trillion won in government and private investment over the next five years to foster strategic high-tech industries, including artifical intelligence (AI), semiconductors and renewable energy. The fund was one of President Lee Jae Myung’s campaign pledges. The five major financial holding companies have already committed a combined 50 trillion won to the fund, contributing 10 trillion won each. The banks’ proposed funding would supplement a separate 2 trillion won low-cost loan to

Jan 29, 2026By Jun Ji-hye

5 major banks plan $350 million low-interest loan for Samsung chip plant

BOK names 5 major lenders, KDB, JP Morgan as FX leading banks

The central bank said Thursday it has designated five major commercial banks, the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) and JP Morgan Chase as foreign exchange (FX) leading banks for 2026. KB Kookmin, NH NongHyup, Shinhan, Woori and Hana Bank, along with KDB and JP Morgan, were selected based on financial soundness, creditworthiness and strong performance in won-dollar spot and foreign exchange swap transactions, the BOK said. The selected banks are eligible for a reduction of up to 60 percent in the FX stability levy. "In line with the comprehensive road map for the inclusion in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) index, we will work closely with the leading banks to ensure that ongoing FX market reforms are successfully implemented," a BOK official said.

Jan 29, 2026By Yonhap

BOK names 5 major lenders, KDB, JP Morgan as FX leading banks

InterviewWhy UK advocate for women investors downplays Trump's DEI ban

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The investment management sector, where only 11 percent of fund managers globally are women, has been widely considered vulnerable to U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to abolish his predecessor’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Amanda Pullinger, a longtime advocate for women’s participation in the investment industry, however, denied this widespread belief, saying nothing has changed as a result of top-down diversity policies, which the Korean government has also pushed for. Speaking to The Korea Times on the sidelines of the Global Labor Market Conference in Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh on Monday (local time), she said that former U.S. President Joe Biden’s policies were more about sidelining male voices and led many men to feel they were being discriminated against in favor of women. "If the people who have the power — which are largely white men — are not included in the conversation around what women or other minorities want, nothing is going to change," said the British founder of Global Female Investors Management, a c

Jan 29, 2026By Park Jae-hyuk

Why UK advocate for women investors downplays Trump's DEI ban

Citi Korea provides K-SURE-backed financing for iMarketKorea’s US industrial complex project

Citi Korea has partnered with the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation to support iMarketKorea’s industrial complex development project in the United States, aimed at helping Korean companies establish local production bases and expand their global operations, the lender said Tuesday. Under the deal, Citi Korea acted as the sole coordinator for a $60 million syndicated loan, backed by K-SURE’s overseas project finance insurance program. The financing is expected to help ease initial investment costs and mitigate financial risks for Korean companies preparing to establish manufacturing facilities and business operations in the U.S. iMarketKorea, a B2B company providing maintenance, repair and operations services to corporate clients, plans to accelerate the development of an industrial complex in Taylor, Texas, using the funds. The site is located near clusters of global semiconductor, electric vehicle and other advanced manufacturing companies, and demand is expected to grow from Korean firms seeking to secure production bases in the U.S. A Citi Korea official said it has a long track re

Jan 27, 2026By Lee Hyo-sik

Citi Korea provides K-SURE-backed financing for iMarketKorea’s US industrial complex project

Banks cut dollar deposit rates amid gov't push to defend won

Banks are slashing foreign currency deposit rates to near-zero levels in a bid to disincentivise dollar deposits, in line with the government’s efforts to curb the won's weakness, industry officials said Monday. The move is already driving a sharp pullback in dollar deposit balances, they said. Shinhan Bank will cut its special foreign currency deposit rates starting Friday, lowering the annual interest rate on dollar deposits to 0.1 percent from 1.5 percent. Hana Bank is set to follow suit the same day, reducing the interest rate on its U.S. dollar deposits to 0.05 percent from 2 percent. Woori Bank moved earlier, trimming its dollar deposit rate to 0.1 percent from 1 percent on Jan. 15. Dollar deposit rates are typically tied to the U.S. federal reserve rate and have traditionally exceeded those on won-denominated time deposits, reflecting the interest rate gap between Korea and the United States. Despite this structure, commercial banks have pushed rates down to near-zero territory, a step widely seen as a response to government pressure to curb dollar demand. At such low rates, holdi

Jan 26, 2026By Jun Ji-hye

Banks cut dollar deposit rates amid gov't push to defend won

Shinhan hit by slew of controversies over celebrity endorsers

Shinhan Bank is facing fresh backlash over its brand campaign with actor Cha Eun-woo, who joins other top Korean celebrities hired as the company’s endorsers but who later became embroiled in high-profile scandals. Also a member of the K-pop boy band Astro, Cha allegedly evaded income taxes worth 20 billion won ($13.86 million) through a suspected shell company managed by his mother, according to the National Tax Service (NTS). The NTS has ordered Cha to pay the 20 billion won, the largest amount imposed on a Korean celebrity to date, tarnishing his image after the news circulated widely last week. The development was also damaging for Shinhan Bank, which has been focusing on brand campaigns to drive growth in the fast-evolving banking industry in the digital era. The country’s second-largest lender signed an endorsement deal with Cha in February 2025, following setbacks in campaigns with actor Kim Soo-kyun and the K-pop girl group NewJeans. The company had previously signed a contract with Kim in June 2024, leveraging his popularity from leading roles in major hit dramas such as “M

Jan 26, 2026By Yi Whan-woo

Shinhan hit by slew of controversies over celebrity endorsers

Deloitte Korea names Kil Ki-wan as next CEO

Deloitte Korea has chosen Kil Ki-wan, who currently heads its consulting division, as the group’s next CEO following approval from its partners, the company said Monday. Kil’s four-year term will begin on June 1, marking the start of the group’s new fiscal year. He will oversee the growth and management of the group’s affiliated entities, including Deloitte Anjin, one of the four major accounting firms in Korea, and Deloitte Consulting Korea. Kil entered the Department of Economics at Hanyang University in 1990 and passed the Korean certified public accountant examination in 1995. He joined Deloitte Anjin the same year and has since held a series of senior leadership roles, including audit partner, head of the restructuring group, head of financial advisory and head of consulting. The incoming CEO presented the two-pillar growth strategy as the central blueprint for Deloitte Korea’s medium- to long-term development, emphasizing the need for swift responses to the rapid transformation of the accounting and consulting industry driven by the spread of artificial intelligence (AI)