Business - The Korea Times

Kbank surpasses 14 mil. customers amid rapid growth

Kbank's total number of users has surpassed 14 million amid continued growth since beginning operations in April 2017, the bank said Thursday. The internet-only bank reported that it attracted about 4.5 million new customers over the past year and a half, up from 9.53 million at the end of 2023. In 2025 alone, more than 1.26 million users joined the bank in the first five months, with an average of over 250,000 new signups per month. This rapid expansion of its customer base has been accompanied by a significant increase in asset size. The bank’s total assets reached 30.39 trillion won ($22 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 42 percent rise from 21.42 trillion won at the end of 2023. Kbank has seen balanced growth across age groups, with its customer base expanding steadily among both younger and older generations. Since the end of 2023, the share of customers aged 20 and under grew from 22 percent to 24 percent, while those aged 50 and above rose from 22 percent to 28 percent. The proportion of users in their 30s and 40s remained steady at 24 percent each. The firm explai

Jun 12, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Kbank surpasses 14 mil. customers amid rapid growth

Eximbank raises 750 mil. euros with newly issued green bond

The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) has raised 750 million euros ($855 million) worldwide by selling newly-issued bonds aimed at supporting environment-friendly projects, the company said Wednesday. The green bond has a three-year maturity. It was issued by taking into account preferences of euro-denominated bond investors, as well as the new Korean government’s eco-friendly policy objectives. Eximbank said it originally planned to sell 500 million euros but scooped 750 million euros on the back of strong demand from investors. It raised 88.3 percent of the 750 million euros from Europe and the Middle East, and the remaining 11.7 percent from Asia. Institutional investors, central banks, international organizations and public entities made up some 49.2 percent of all investors. Commercial banks made up another 16.5 percent share and asset management firms took up another 34.3 percent. Eximbank said the green bond will help the company successfully return to the European bond market as an issuer of sovereign, supranational and agency (SSA) bonds. Such bonds are issued by highly cre

Jun 11, 2025

Eximbank raises 750 mil. euros with newly issued green bond

Will Kakao be biggest beneficiary of new government’s policies?

Kakao Pay's stock price surged sharply following the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, fueled by growing expectations for the introduction of a Korean won-based stablecoin, analysts said Tuesday. Shares of other Kakao-related companies also rallied on optimism around President Lee's policy agenda, particularly the expansion of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. According to the Korea Exchange, Kakao Pay's stock price closed at 57,400 won ($42), Tuesday, up 15.96 percent from the previous trading day's close of 49,500 won. On Monday, the stock surged 29.92 percent. The sharp rise reflects growing expectations that discussions surrounding the introduction of a won-based stablecoin will accelerate following the appointment of Kim Yong-beom, a former first vice finance minister, as the new presidential chief of staff for policy. Stablecoins — digital assets pegged to real-world currencies such as the U.S. dollar — are designed to minimize price volatility. If a won-based stablecoin is officially introduced, it is expected to expand Korea's payments and settlement ecosys

Jun 10, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Will Kakao be biggest beneficiary of new government’s policies?

Mirae Asset seeks further expansion into high tech-oriented China market

Mirae Asset Securities is increasingly eyeing China’s listed high-tech companies as securities firms seek to diversify their U.S.-centric investment portfolios and realize higher returns in the world's second-largest economy, according to company officials, Tuesday. The China-focused strategy comes as the country has drawn less attention than the United States from Korean stock investors despite its growth potential in the era of accelerated digital transformation. For instance, Korea Securities Depository data showed that U.S. stocks make up more than 90 percent of the outstanding account balance of Koreans who invest in overseas stocks. Under such circumstances, Mirae Asset Securities recently sent some of its private bankers to China on a field trip to Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other manufacturing hubs. The companies they visited included e-commerce giant Alibaba and electric car makers BYD and XPENG. RoboSense and UBTECH, both AI-based robotics companies, and cloud software manufacturer Kingdee Software were also on the list of their destinations. A company PR official said t

Jun 10, 2025By Yi Whan-woo

Mirae Asset seeks further expansion into high tech-oriented China market

Private equity industry voices concern over bill to halve leverage limit

The private equity (PE) industry expressed concerns over a bill proposed by a Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker to halve the current borrowing limit for PE firms, according to industry officials, Tuesday. They argue that applying uniform regulations to all firms constitutes excessive interference and could undermine market stability. The bill sparked further backlash from the industry, as legislative efforts led by the DPK are expected to gain momentum following the launch of the new administration. President Lee Jae-myung's DPK currently holds 167 seats, securing a majority in the 300-member National Assembly. When including seats held by minor parties and independent lawmakers aligned with the ruling party, the pro-government camp is estimated to control a total of 186 seats. DPK lawmaker Rep. Kim Hyun-jung recently introduced an amendment to the Capital Markets Act that would reduce the borrowing cap for PE firms from the current 400 percent of net asset value to 200 percent. The bill, however, includes an exception for firms that obtain an evaluation of their debt repayment cap

Jun 10, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Private equity industry voices concern over bill to halve leverage limit

KRX opens independently run after-hours trading session for derivatives

The Korea Exchange (KRX) opened an after-hours trading session for derivatives, Monday, in a bid to enhance its global competitiveness and improve convenience for investors. The country’s sole bourse operator said the session runs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., after the regular session that runs from 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The combined 19-hour trading session is part of the KRX’s broader plan for around-the-clock operations in selling and buying all tradable financial assets, such as stocks, bonds and derivatives. The KRX’s new after-hours trading session marks a departure from the one offered in partnership with Eurex, a leading European derivatives exchange. The derivatives linked the benchmark KOSPI and secondary bourse Kosdaq were traded at Eurex from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., before the Eurex-based trading service ended last Thursday. “With the new system in place, investors will be able to engage in after-hours trading more easily than before,” the KRX said. It said its independent trading service is more simplified than the Eurex-based one. The KRX underlined its plan to expand its offeri

Jun 9, 2025By Yi Whan-woo

KRX opens independently run after-hours trading session for derivatives

Seoul shares soar late Monday morning on tech, auto gains

Korean stocks traded sharply higher late Monday morning as foreign investors purchased blue chip tech and auto shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 48.25 points, or 1.72 percent, to 2,860.3 as of 11:20 a.m., as foreigners net purchased 335.9 billion won ($250 million) worth of local shares. On Friday, Wall Street gained ground thanks to better-than-expected U.S. jobs data, which relieved investors' concerns of an economic slowdown in the world's largest economy. The attention is now on whether the second round of high-level trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing, set to kick off later in the day in London, will reduce uncertainties in the global trade market. In Seoul, market bellwether Samsung Electronics increased 2.2 percent, while its chipmaking rival SK hynix jumped 2.67 percent. Top automaker Hyundai Motor surged 4.22 percent, and its sister Kia advanced 2.36 percent. Hyundai's auto parts-making affiliate, Hyundai Mobis, soared 10.04 percent. IT shares were also bullish, with top internet portal operator Naver climbing 3.97 percent, and Kak

Jun 9, 2025By Yonhap

Seoul shares soar late Monday morning on tech, auto gains

Foreigners increasingly join Korea’s alternative stock exchange

An increasing number of foreign investors have been using Nextrade, Korea’s newly launched alternative trading system (ATS), over the past three months, buoyed by reduced internal and external uncertainties since April, data showed Sunday. The positive development followed an April inflow of offshore investor funds that net purchased large-cap KOSPI shares for the first time in 10 months. Many say more foreign funds will find their way into the long-undervalued equity market this year, especially since many foreign brokerages are seeking to join the platform. Still, challenges remain. Institutional investor enthusiasm remains poor thanks to questions of system stability, including order malfunctions that led to outright service trading halts. A new order mechanism on Nextrade had an error, leading to the government-mandated system halt. Users of Kiwoom, Mirae Asset, Meritz and Toss experienced major inconveniences. According to Nextrade, foreign investors accounted for 8.9 percent of total trading volume during the first week of June. This was a sharp increase from 0.4 percent in March,

Jun 9, 2025By Lee Kyung-min

Foreigners increasingly join Korea’s alternative stock exchange

KOSPI surpasses 2,800 for first time in 10 months

Electronic signboards at Hana Bank in Seoul show the benchmark KOSPI closed at 2,812.05, Thursday, up 1.49 percent from the previous trading day. The secondary Kosdaq also rose 0.8 percent to close at 756.23. The rally, fueled by both foreign and institutional investors, extended from Wednesday amid expectations of the launch of the new administration. Yonhap

Jun 5, 2025By Lee Yeon-woo

KOSPI surpasses 2,800 for first time in 10 months

Global forum underscores urgency for insurance innovation amid climate, cyber threats

INCHEON — About 900 professionals from 150 insurance organizations, representing 23 countries, gathered at the Korea International Insurance Conference (KIIC) on Wednesday and Thursday at Incheon's Inspire Entertainment Resort. The conference allowed participants to explore the evolving risk landscape facing the insurance industry and to exchange forward-looking strategies aimed at fostering agile and effective responses to emerging challenges. Marking its second year, this year's KIIC was held under the theme "Evolving Risks, Agile Action," highlighting the growing urgency for insurers to adapt rapidly and innovatively in the face of new and complex challenges. Lee Mun-hwa, CEO of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (SFMI) — the lead sponsor of the event — opened the main session on Thursday with remarks addressing the growing complexity of global risks such as climate change and cybersecurity threats. "The world is entering an era marked by increasing unpredictability, where climate-related disasters are intensifying and the rapid evolution of digital technologies is giving rise to

Jun 5, 2025By Jun Ji-hye

Banking & Finance