South Korea's JB Financial Group said Monday it has signed a partnership with OKXE, a Vietnam-based platform for used motorcycles, eyeing the expansion of its brokerage business in the country. At a signing ceremony held in Seoul on Friday, JB Financial Group and its affiliate JB Investment agreed to acquire a combined 8 percent stake in OKXE. OKXE was launched in Vietnam in 2020 by CEO Kim Woo-seok, bringing used motorcycle transactions from offline to online. With over 8 million users as

Industry April 1, 2024

Korea's top lenders have all decided to accept the compensation guidelines suggested by the country's financial watchdog, agreeing to make up for the losses from the misselling of equity-linked securities tied to a Hong Kong index, with KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank joining the list Friday. Following company board meetings held earlier in the day, KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank announced they would carry out the compensation procedure, accepting the voluntary-basis plan suggested

Industry March 29, 2024

Hana Financial Group, one of South Korea's top four finance conglomerates, has joined hands with Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank to strengthen cooperation in expanding its business in Europe, the firm said Friday. The two entities have signed an agreement to expand cooperation in corporate and investment banking, treasury and trade finance, and financing for environment, social and governance-related initiatives. Hana Financial Group Vice Chair Lee Eun-Hyung, Xavier Musca, the

Industry March 29, 2024

Korea failed to join the World Government Bond Index, a global benchmark that measures the performance of sovereign bonds, but it remains hopeful as the index provider gave a positive evaluation of its latest efforts to improve market accessibility. The WGBI, managed by Financial Times Stock Exchange Russell, is one of the three major government bond indices along with the Bloomberg-Barclays Global Aggregate Index and JP Morgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets. It is tracked by global fund

Economy March 28, 2024

Korean banks have rolled out a financial package worth around 600 billion won ($444 million) to support small business owners and young people, with an aim to share their profits, according to the Korea Federation of Banks, an organization representing the lenders, Wednesday. The funding is a follow-up to a financing plan worth 2.1 trillion won issued in December amid regulatory pressure to share the profits. While 1.5 trillion won was allocated for cash refunds for borrowers' interest paym

Industry March 27, 2024

Yoon Byung-un, an investment banking veteran, officially took office as the CEO of local brokerage house NH Investment & Securities, after winning approval at the annual shareholders’ meeting Wednesday. “We must be ready to make another leap without being satisfied with the present. The first part of the preparation is bringing together the capability (of our organization),” Yoon said in an inauguration speech during the meeting at the firm's headquarters in Yeouido, w

Industry March 27, 2024

Recognizing the expansion of the foreign population in Korea, banks are striving to improve access for foreign residents here by providing customized services from the point of arrival to departure. As Foreign nationals are expected to take up a more significant portion of Korea’s demographics amid the nation's continued population decline, local lenders are looking to woo foreign customers through designated communication channels. Korea's top four financial groups -- KB, Shinha

Politics March 26, 2024

The Export-Import Bank of Korea, or Eximbank, announced it will form a 1 trillion won ($745 million) fund to support businesses in high-tech strategic industries, especially semiconductors and batteries. The policy lender will put in 150 billion won toward the fund which will close out at 1 trillion won. The fund will be used to provide preferential interest rates and loan limits to businesses related to chips, battery, bio, future mobility and electric engineering. It is the second fund establi

Industry March 25, 2024

The Industrial Bank of Korea on Monday announced the establishment of a strategic investment fund worth 100 billion won ($75 million) to nurture businesses with innovative digital technologies. The fund will be pooled by the policy lender and its affiliate IBK Capital, with each investing 90 billion won and 10 billion won, respectively. As IBK Capital is more experienced in venture funding, it will manage the fund as a general partner, IBK explained. The fund aims to support platform operators w

Industry March 25, 2024

Local crypto exchange operator Bithumb Korea is set to simplify its corporate governance, spinning off its non-exchange business in a move designed to accelerate its stock market debut planned for next year. Bithumb Korea will separate its holdings business under a new name, tentatively coined Bithumb Investment, the company announced through a regulatory filing Friday. While the existing unit will be in charge of operating the country's No. 2 crypto exchange Bithumb, the newly launched uni

Industry March 24, 2024

While the possibility of the US Federal Reserve cutting its base rate three times this year has sent Seoul shares higher, the Bank of Korea is likely to start bringing down its key rate in July, experts viewed. Through a two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the US Fed maintained its benchmark lending rate to stand in the 5.25-5.5 percent range. Though the rate freeze had been expected by the market, the global stock market, including that of Korea, rallied as the Fed stuck to its dovis

Economy March 21, 2024

By Marc Van de Walle A New Year is always a time to reflect on the previous year, what we might learn from it and then apply these learnings going forward. What better time for reflection than now, as we usher in the Year of the Dragon, considered one of the most auspicious creatures in the Chinese zodiac. The mythical Dragon symbolizes power, wisdom, strength, and good fortune. From an investment perspective, however, there is more you can do than wait to tap on the Dragon’s luck. Last ye

Economy March 20, 2024

Though plagued by emptied-out stores and quiet streets in the wake of the pandemic, the Myeong-dong area in central Seoul is looking to reclaim its title as a top retail district in Korea, seeing a sharp drop in its vacancy rate. Myeong-dong, a major tourist destination here, was hit severely by the lack of travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic, with its vacancy rate hitting nearly 50 percent at the end of 2021. But with pandemic rules lifted and an increase in face-to-face transactions, the ar

Industry March 20, 2024

Thailand has remained an untapped market for South Korean financial firms since their exodus during the financial crisis in the late 1990s. Now Kakao Bank, the nation’s No. 1 online-only bank, is eyeing an expansion into the burgeoning digital banking market in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. Earlier this month, Thailand’s Ministry of Finance confirmed regulations for authorizing virtual banks, the equivalent of internet lenders in Korea. According to the regulations, a

Industry March 19, 2024

Local real estate asset manager Igis Asset Management is set to move forward with its plan to refurbish the office area near the Seoul Station, having recently acquired two office properties on the site. The asset manager announced Monday it had acquired Metro Tower (41,139.6-square-meters) and Seoullo Tower (27,897.5-square-meters) in the area, which connects with another property owned by the company, the Millennium Hilton Seoul. Through the project, the area, situated near the iconic Namsan,

Industry March 18, 2024