Business - The Korea Times

Investors up in arms over KRX’s 'warning' on SK hynix

Investors holding SK hynix shares are expressing frustration over the Korea Exchange's (KRX) decision to place the artificial intelligence (AI) chip maker under an “investment warning”, a measure that triggered sharp losses, market watchers said Friday. Many say the bourse operator’s unreasonable regulatory priority is out of sync with the Lee Jae Myung administration’s drive to push the KOSPI to 5,000 points, accelerating a retail investor exodus from Korea to the U.S. equity market. The say the collective stance is justified, since the “warning” is to curb small-cap shares prone to short-term manipulation, not large-cap shares leading the country’s monthslong artificial intelligence (AI) rally with robust performance and earnings outlook. According to the KRX, SK hynix shares were placed under a warning on Thursday because its price closed more than 200 percent higher than a year ago, posting the highest closing price in the past 15 trading days. This led to investors being banned from increasing holdings through stock or margin loans. Further price spikes could prompt a

Dec 12, 2025By Lee Kyung-min

Investors up in arms over KRX’s 'warning' on SK hynix

InterviewZagga to offer gateaway for Korean investors into Australian real estate: CEO

Australia may not have been on the radar for Korean investors — until now. As institutional appetite for alternative assets grows, Australian fund manager Zagga is positioning itself as a first mover to connect Korean capital with real estate opportunities down under. "Australia is considered part of the Asia-Pacific region and is seen a friendly jurisdiction. Investors are looking at Australia as an alternative to Europe or America," Alan Greenstein, CEO and co-founder of Zagga, told The Korea Times in a recent video interview. "Australia is not yet a well-known market for Korean investors. So we're going to be one of the first funds into the market from that point of view." Zagga is an Australian alternative real estate investment manager that specializes in private credit. Private credit refers to lending structures involving privately negotiated loans between borrowers and non-bank lenders. It offers faster execution and more flexible terms than traditional bank financing. Behind the growing interest from global institutional investors is the resilience of the Australian real esta

Dec 12, 2025By Lee Yeon-woo

Zagga to offer gateaway for Korean investors into Australian real estate: CEO

More older adults open to learning AI tech for financial services

Older adults aged 60 and older are most eager to learn and adopt the artificial intelligence (AI) technology, especially in financial services, despite having the lowest current usage of AI tools, a Woori Financial Group report showed Thursday. The finding comes amid a major shift in how older adults are preparing for retirement, wealth management and digital inclusion in an AI-driven economy. The report was based on a survey of 10,000 people aged 20 to 69 and a series of in-depth interviews. More than half, or 56.3 percent, of those aged 60 and older said they have used AI services, which was lower than their younger peers (70 percent). Only 29 percent of respondents aged 60 and older said they tried generative AI tools, and most of the use was limited to simple information searches. However, over 84 percent of them said they are willing to increase AI usage, especially for financial services. They were more confident than younger groups that AI-based financial services, including robo-advisers, would outperform human advisors in the long term. Of those over 60 with the largest financial

Dec 11, 2025By Lee Kyung-min

More older adults open to learning AI tech for financial services

Hanwha expands Middle East financial ties at Abu Dhabi Finance Week

Hanwha Group’s financial affiliates — Hanwha Life Insurance, Hanwha General Insurance, Hanwha Asset Management and Hanwha Investment & Securities — expanded their global capital network and strengthened financial cooperation in the Middle East by participating in major sessions and programs at Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025, the life insurer said Thursday. Held under the patronage of Abu Dhabi’s crown prince and organized by Abu Dhabi Global Market, ADFW is the Middle East’s largest financial event. It brings together leading global financial figures representing more than half of the world’s GDP to discuss future finance agendas and cooperation strategies. This year’s four-day event, which began Monday, featured the four Hanwha affiliates as premier partners. The firms highlighted their strategy of combining the reliability of traditional finance with the openness of digital finance to build a seamless on-chain experience that integrates customers’ assets and financial activities. Hanwha Life President and Chief Global Officer Kim Dong-won opened the event with a ke

Dec 11, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Hanwha expands Middle East financial ties at Abu Dhabi Finance Week

NPS review of IGIS funds over security breach concerns casts doubt on Hillhouse takeover

The acquisition bid for IGIS Asset Management, Korea’s largest real estate manager, by Hillhouse Investment, a private equity firm linked to Chinese capital, is facing a serious obstacle as national security breach concerns have surfaced in connection with the ownership sale process, industry insiders said Thursday. Controversy erupted after it was revealed that an internal report detailing funds backed by the National Pension Service (NPS) had been shared with potential buyers during the sale process without the pension fund’s prior consent. According to industry officials, NPS regards the unauthorized disclosure as an issue comparable to leaking national secrets and is weighing the possibility of withdrawing as much as 7 trillion won ($4.8 billion) from IGIS-operated funds. Since NPS capital has long served as a key driver of IGIS’s growth, observers warn that Hillhouse’s position as the preferred negotiator could be threatened if the pension fund decides to pull its money. Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, the advisers on the sale, named Hillhouse as the preferred bidder for I

Dec 11, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

NPS review of IGIS funds over security breach concerns casts doubt on Hillhouse takeover

Overseas remittance rule overhaul intensifies competition among banks

Competition among banks in the cross-border transfer market is expected to intensify as the government announced a sweeping overhaul of the overseas remittance framework set for next year, industry officials said Wednesday. In particular, internet-only banks, known for their streamlined processes, are poised to take on a more prominent role. On Monday, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said it will introduce the Integrated Overseas Remittance Management System in January, enabling real-time, unified oversight of no-documentation remittances handled by both banks and other financial firms. Under the current Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, individuals can remit more than $5,000 per year without supporting documents only through a designated bank, with a limit of $100,000. Other kinds of financial firms such as securities companies allow no-documentation transfers of up to $5,000 per transaction and up to $50,000 annually. Starting in January, however, the annual limit for no-documentation overseas remittances will be standardized at $100,000 across all types of financial institutions.

Dec 10, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Overseas remittance rule overhaul intensifies competition among banks

Exim Bank to inject $13.6 bil. into AI sector over 5 years

The state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea (Exim Bank) said Wednesday it will roll out a comprehensive financial support package next month to provide 20 trillion won ($13.6 billion) in funding to the artificial intelligence (AI) industry over the next five years. The package, named the AX program, includes preferential interest rates for AI-related businesses, investment in advanced strategic industries and support measures for startups, according to the lender. The bank also signed partnership agreements with three major AI-related companies — LS Electric, LG Innotek and HD Hyundai Robotics — to help foster the AI ecosystem and promote exports of relevant products. Under the agreement, Eximbank plans to offer tailored financial support for exports of AI-related products, such as AI chips, sensors and energy solutions, and provide export financing and research and development (R&D) funding to small and mid-sized partner firms participating in the three companies' overseas projects.

Dec 10, 2025By Yonhap

Exim Bank to inject $13.6 bil. into AI sector over 5 years

Hanwha Life president stresses Korea-UAE financial partnership at Abu Dhabi summit

Kim Dong-won, president and chief global officer of Hanwha Life Insurance, emphasized the financial sector’s role in strengthening sustainable cooperation between Korea and the United Arab Emirates, pledging to build a new financial ecosystem by leveraging Abu Dhabi’s advanced infrastructure. He delivered the remarks Monday (local time) as he opened the Global Markets Summit at Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025. “Korea and the UAE have steadily expanded their bilateral ties since 1980, sharing a mindset of transforming crises into opportunities and pursuing long-term, trust-based cooperation,” Kim said. “Finance will be essential to building a sustainable partnership, serving as a catalyst for opportunity and a key driver of innovation.” Kim, the second son of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, added that future cooperation is expected to grow in areas such as real asset co-investments, supply-chain finance, cross-border payment system enhancements and digital asset platforms. Organized by Abu Dhabi Global Market under the patronage of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, ADFW is

Dec 9, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Hanwha Life president stresses Korea-UAE financial partnership at Abu Dhabi summit

Hana Financial provides vehicles to residential disability centers

Hana Financial Group said Tuesday that it has provided eco-friendly vehicles, including electric and compact cars, to ten residential facilities for people with disabilities. This initiative aims to strengthen welfare infrastructure and ensure mobility rights by supplying vehicles to residential facilities for people with disabilities, often located on the outskirts of cities. Hana Financial Group said it expects residents with disabilities will be able to move more freely for school, work, medical appointments and emergencies, enabling them to lead more independent daily lives and expand their opportunities for social participation. The group applied criteria outlined in Article 58 of the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities to select recipients. Facilities were required to have received a grade of C or higher in evaluations, have operated for more than three years, have aging vehicles in need of replacement and not have received similar support from corporations or local governments within the past five years. Among those meeting the qualifications, the final ten facilities were

Dec 9, 2025By Lee Yeon-woo

Hana Financial provides vehicles to residential disability centers

Controversy clouds Hillhouse Investment's acquisition of IGIS Asset Management

Hillhouse Investment has been named the preferred bidder to acquire IGIS Asset Management, the nation's largest real estate manager, industry officials said Tuesday. However, the decision has sparked controversy, with regulatory approval likely to face hurdles due to national security concerns, and a rival bidder alleging procedural unfairness. According to sources, the global private equity fund did not initially submit the highest bid, offering only the mid-900 billion won range during the main auction. However, after the deal's advisers, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, introduced a "progressive deal" — a process in which short-listed bidders were invited to raise their offers — Hillhouse Investment significantly increased its bid to 1.1 trillion won ($747 million), positioning it as the front-runner to acquire IGIS Asset Management. Heungkuk Life offered around 1.05 trillion won, while Hanwha Life, another participant, reportedly submitted a bid in the mid-900 billion won range. The takeover was initially expected to be a two-way contest between these two domestic insurers. The