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  • Cryptocurrency

    Korea Investors Service prepares to rate credit in digital finance

    Korea Investors Service (KIS) is developing new criteria to assess the credit risks of digital financial products as tokenized securities and stablecoins become more integrated into the mainstream financial system. The Moody's affiliate said Monday that digital financial products can carry risks that differ from those of conventional products, even when they have the same credit rating. "While automation and instant settlement can reduce costs, reliance on the platforms, smart contracts and on-chain settlement that enable them can also create new channels through which disruptions and losses spread," Chung Hyuk-jin, head of KIS' credit standards group, said at a media briefing. Chung said credit assessments of digital financial products should incorporate technological risks alongside traditional measures such as an issuer's repayment capacity, the credit quality of underlying assets, collateral and repayment priority. KIS groups those risks into four categories: platform risk, smart-contract risk, external risk and risks related to the representation of legal rights. Stablecoins have bec

    2 MIN READBy Lee Yeon-woo
    Korea Investors Service prepares to rate credit in digital finance
  • Others

    Middle-aged Koreans largely look to national pension for post-retirement safety net

    3 MIN READBy Jun Ji-hye
    Middle-aged Koreans largely look to national pension for post-retirement safety net
  • Policy

    Gov't plans 1.19 mil. public sale, rental homes amid housing price pressures

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Gov't plans 1.19 mil. public sale, rental homes amid housing price pressures
  • Economy

    KOSPI regains 7,000 as Samsung Electronics shares surge on record chip exports

    1 MIN READBy Park Han-sol
    KOSPI regains 7,000 as Samsung Electronics shares surge on record chip exports
  • Policy

    BOK launches pilot program for 24-hour offshore won settlement

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    BOK launches pilot program for 24-hour offshore won settlement
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Economy

ADB revises up Korea's growth projection for 2026 to 2.6%

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday revised up its economic growth projection for Korea to 2.6 percent from its April report, citing robust artificial intelligence (AI)-related demand around the globe. The ADB's latest estimate marks a 0.7 percentage-point increase, with the bank also raising its 2027 growth outlook for Asia's fourth-largest economy by 0.1 percentage point to 2 percent. In detail, the ADB said Korea's export growth, led by global AI demand, is expected to serve as a key growth driver through 2027. The semiconductor industry is also expected to offset downward pressures stemming from global energy price volatility and supply chain disruptions, it added. Korea's private consumption was expected to maintain a stable trend on the back of a strong stock market, robust earnings at tech firms and the government's support measures. Potential hurdles for Korea, meanwhile, include long-term energy supply volatility, Washington's tariff policies and a correction in the stock market, the ADB said. Touching on inflation, the ADB projected consumer prices to rise 2.7 percent an

Jul 9, 2026By Yonhap
ADB revises up Korea's growth projection for 2026 to 2.6%
Others

IMF lifts Korea's growth outlook to 2.6%, biggest upgrade among 30 major economies

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday raised its forecast for Korea’s economic growth this year to 2.6 percent, up 0.7 percentage point from its April projection, marking the largest upward revision among the 30 major economies covered in its latest outlook. The IMF said stronger exports of semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI)-related goods helped Seoul offset the impact of the conflict in the Middle East. In its July World Economic Outlook Update, the IMF lowered its global growth forecast for 2026 by 0.1 percentage point from April to 3 percent. In contrast, it raised Korea’s growth outlook by 0.7 percentage point to 2.6 percent for this year and by 0.4 percentage point to 2.5 percent for 2027. The IMF said the global economy is being shaped by two major forces — supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict and growth driven by the AI technology cycle. Korea was assessed as maintaining a relatively strong outlook due to steady external demand for semiconductors and strong exports of AI-related hardware. In particular, the fund identified Korea as

Jul 8, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
IMF lifts Korea's growth outlook to 2.6%, biggest upgrade among 30 major economies
Others

Korea launches 1st direct probe into stock manipulation by TV staff

Korea’s financial regulator has launched an unprecedented probe into allegations of stock manipulation involving employees of Maeil Business TV, marking the first case initiated directly by its special judicial police. According to financial investment industry sources, the Financial Supervisory Service’s (FSS) Capital Markets Special Judicial Police, conducted a search and seizure on the broadcaster’s headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday, securing relevant materials. Authorities suspect that three individuals — a producer, a program host and a guest contributor — purchased stocks using nonpublic information obtained through their work. They are believed to have promoted the same stocks on air, driving up prices before selling them for profit. The FSS estimates the illicit gains exceeded 1 billion won ($720,000). The case is notable as the first investigation launched independently by the FSS without a prior referral from the Securities and Futures Commission. The move follows expanded authority granted to the agency earlier this year, allowing it to initiate probes directly when

Jul 8, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Korea launches 1st direct probe into stock manipulation by TV staff
Economy

Major banks to offer financial support to Homeplus suppliers

Major commercial banks on Wednesday announced financial support measures for local suppliers of troubled discount store chain Homeplus after a court decided to terminate its rehabilitation proceedings. Shinhan Bank said it will offer low-interest loans of up to 500 million won ($333,000) to suppliers facing liquidity difficulties due to delayed payments from Homeplus, with interest rate discounts of up to 1 percentage point. The bank also said it will waive overdue interest charges for companies with delinquent loans. Hana Bank will provide emergency business capital loans of up to 500 million won to partner companies in need of funding, offering interest rate discounts of up to 1.3 percentage points. Other banks, including Woori Bank and Kookmin Bank, also unveiled similar support measures to help Homeplus suppliers stay afloat. The retailer, wholly owned by private equity firm MBK Partners, has struggled financially amid a prolonged downturn in the discount store sector and entered court-led rehabilitation proceedings in March last year. Last week, the Seoul Bankruptcy Court decided to t

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Major banks to offer financial support to Homeplus suppliers
Others

Why won isn't recovering despite record exports

The Korean won has continued to weaken despite record exports and a sustained bull run in the stock market, trading above the key psychological level of 1,500 won for nearly two months from mid-May. The won briefly strengthened on Wednesday, gaining 29.7 won to close at 1,498.5 won against the dollar in onshore trading, its first close below the 1,500-won level in 37 trading days since May 14. But the breach proved temporary, with the currency weakening 7.6 won on Thursday to finish at 1,506.1 per dollar and move back above the key threshold. The country’s monthly exports topped $100 billion for the first time on record in June, according to data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, while the benchmark KOSPI has been riding a historic bull run, trading in the 8,000-9,000 range, helped by an artificial intelligence-driven rally in semiconductor stocks. Conventionally, robust exports boost dollar inflows, a factor that would normally support the local currency. In addition, rising stock prices have traditionally been associated with foreign capital inflows, which i

Jul 8, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Why won isn't recovering despite record exports
Economy

Why Samsung shares are swinging so wildly

Samsung Electronics shares have taken investors on a wild ride over the past year, climbing from a July 9, 2025, low of 60,200 won ($40.12) to a June 19 peak of 374,500 won — a whopping 522 percent gain. But a closer look shows just how dizzying the swings have been. Last week alone, the stock moved down 4.86 percent, up 3.41 percent, down 5.84 percent, down 9.06 percent and up 8.22 percent over five straight trading days. This week brought another bout of whiplash around Tuesday's preliminary second-quarter earnings release, with the shares moving up 2.75 percent, down 6.92 percent and down 6.25 percent over three consecutive sessions. The swings are raising a bigger question for investors: Why are shares of Korea's most valuable company trading less like a national champion and more like a momentum bet? Analysts say the volatility reflects a shift in how the market is valuing Samsung. Rather than treating the company as a stable manufacturing giant, investors are increasingly pricing it as a cyclical artificial intelligence (AI) play tied closely to the memory chip cycle. Samsung stil

Jul 8, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Why Samsung shares are swinging so wildly
Economy

KRX issues sell-side sidecar for KOSPI on sharp fall

Korea's bourse operator on Wednesday activated a sell-side sidecar for the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) after the index tumbled sharply. Program trading for the KOSPI was suspended for five minutes at around 1:31 p.m., according to the Korea Exchange (KRX). The KOSPI came under heavy selling pressure as investors offloaded technology and other large-cap stocks as they reassess the next phase of artificial intelligence (AI) trade. Foreigners and individuals sold a combined 784 billion won ($519 million) worth of stocks as of 1:40 p.m., exceeding institutional buying worth 767.9 billion won. After opening 2.7 percent lower, the KOSPI fell as low as 7,222.60 during the session.

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
KRX issues sell-side sidecar for KOSPI on sharp fall
Economy

Economy on recovery track despite manufacturing setback due to chip boom: KDI

SEJONG — The Korean economy remains on the recovery track as gains from the booming chip industry offset the slowdown in the overall manufacturing sector, a state-run think tank said Wednesday. "Korea's economy remained on a modest recovery path, supported by robust semiconductor exports and services activity, while manufacturing production softened," the Korea Development Institute (KDI) said in its monthly economic assessment. The KDI pointed out exports by Asia's No. 4 economy continued to expand "strongly" amid robust artificial intelligence (AI)-related demand. Korea's monthly exports hit a fresh record high by surpassing the $100 billion mark for the first time in June, surging 70.9 percent on-year to $102.25 billion. "Although growth in semiconductor export volumes moderated, exports remained robust in value terms, supported by continued price increases," the KDI said. Exports of semiconductors nearly tripled to reach $44.82 billion, with monthly exports surpassing $40 billion for the first time on the back of surging demand for memory chips. The KDI, however, noted manufacturing

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Economy on recovery track despite manufacturing setback due to chip boom: KDI
Economy

FSC chief vows tougher crackdown on stock manipulation

The head of Korea's financial regulator on Wednesday pledged to step up efforts to crack down on stock manipulation and other unfair trading practices. Lee Eog-weon, chairman of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), made the remarks during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of a joint task force established to detect and investigate illegal and unfair stock trading. The joint task force, comprising officials from the FSC, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) and the Korea Exchange, was launched in July last year. "The joint task force has been at the forefront of protecting trust in the capital market by swiftly detecting illegal activities and imposing strict sanctions," Lee said. Over the past year, the team has detected 10 cases, including one involving journalists, and referred them to prosecutors. The government plans to expand the task force and grant it greater investigative and enforcement powers to eradicate unfair practices in the capital market. "We will not rest on our laurels but will respond even more rigorously through 'swift detection, strict investigation and z

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
FSC chief vows tougher crackdown on stock manipulation
Economy

Korean won's internationalization key to financial advancement: official

The internationalization of the Korean won is a key task in the government's efforts to advance the country's foreign exchange and financial markets to the next level, a senior official said Wednesday. Second Vice Finance Minister Huh Chang made the remark during a task force meeting on the internationalization of the Korean won, noting the country intends to fundamentally reform its foreign exchange policies, which have been maintained since the 1997 economic crisis. The meeting came as Korea plans to unveil a road map for the vision later this month, which was prepared in cooperation with the Bank of Korea and other relevant agencies. During the meeting, the participants discussed ways to transform the Korean won into a "freely convertible currency" from its current status as a "restricted currency." They also exchanged opinions on potential volatility and risks during the process of pursuing the internationalization of the Korean won, the ministry added. "The participants agreed to maintain communication with the market by using the task force as a central platform," the ministry said.

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Korean won's internationalization key to financial advancement: official
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