Articles by Choi Ji-won
Choi Ji-won
jwc@heraldcorp.com-
Banks ramp up services for growing foreigner market
South Korean banks are bolstering their services for foreigners to tap into the rapidly expanding foreign customer market. Shinhan Bank recently pioneered a service among local commercial banks that allows foreign residents in Korea to conveniently apply for new check cards online through its mobile app SOL Bank. With its newly implemented foreign identification verification system, foreigners aged 17 or older with valid domestic identification documents, like an alien registration card or domes
Industry June 16, 2024
-
Korea's short selling ban extended to March 2025
South Korea's ban on the short selling of stocks is set to be extended until March next year. The projected deadline was discussed during a government-parliament meeting between the country's top financial regulators and the ruling People Power Party on Thursday to discuss the enhancement of short selling regulations. "We have proposed extending the short selling ban until March 2025, after the development of the computerized monitoring system," said lawmaker Jeong Jeom-sig,
Economy June 13, 2024
-
Shinhan Card partners with Canada's Alberta to boost tourism
South Korean card issuer Shinhan Card is collaborating with regional Canadian governments and state-run tourism promotion agencies for local tourist marketing, starting with Alberta. Shinhan Card, the card arm of Korean finance giant Shinhan Financial Group, announced on Tuesday that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Government of Alberta, Canada, to jointly develop services and launch marketing initiatives targeting tourists visiting Alberta. The signing ceremony took pla
Industry June 12, 2024
-
KDB chief pledges W100tr high-tech fund, sticks to Busan relocation
The chief of the state-run Korea Development Bank on Tuesday unveiled plans to provide 100 trillion won ($72.5 billion) in policy funds for the development of high-tech industries while continuing efforts to push for the relocation of headquarters to Busan. KDB Chairman Kang Seog-hoon made the announcement during his second-anniversary press conference held at the bank's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and called for swift legal revisions to implement the plans. "We are currently prepa
Economy June 11, 2024
-
Banks to allow staff up to 5 years of child care
More local banks are implementing so-called optional "parental resignation" programs as internal welfare measures, as one attempt to address the nation's notoriously low birth rate problem. According to industry sources, Woori Bank recently received applications for parental resignations with the guarantee of re-employment. A total of 35 employees applied, and they are scheduled to resign at the end of this month to begin a maximum two and a half years of unpaid child care leave.
Industry June 11, 2024
-
400,000 minors own Samsung Electronics shares worth W1.54tr
The number of underage stakeholders in Samsung Electronics, the country's largest company by market capitalization, has surged nearly 21 times in four years, reaching almost 400,000. According to the Korea Securities Depository's securities data portal, as of the end of last year, there were 391,869 Samsung Electronics shareholders under the age of 20, making up 8.38 percent of the total 4,672,130 shareholders. The total value of Samsung Electronics shares owned by these underage inves
Market June 10, 2024
-
S. Korea, Japan, China CEOs want enhanced economic cooperation
Major business leaders in South Korea, Japan and China unanimously agreed on the need to enhance economic ties, with the highest expectations placed on economic revitalization and supply chain stability, a recent survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed Sunday. The findings come from an on-site survey conducted at the trilateral business summit held on May 27 in Seoul, with 136 business leaders responding regarding their views on economic cooperation. The survey hi
Economy June 9, 2024
-
From K bank to Shift Up, major players to heat up IPO market
South Korea's initial public offering market is set to maintain its momentum in the latter half of the year, driven by the stock market recovery, as well as the successful listings of big names earlier this year. Having shaken off last year's slump, the total amount raised through IPOs stood at 1.6 trillion won ($1.16 billion) as of end-May, accounting for over 40 percent of the previous year's annual total of 3.86 trillion won. Just in June, an additional 700 billion won is expected to flood in
Market June 9, 2024
-
Samsung Fire & Marine convenes global insurance conference in Incheon
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, the nation's leading non-life insurer, gathered insurance experts from inside and outside the country to share insights about the industry and Korea's insurance landscape at the Korea International Insurance Conference. The inaugural event, held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Mohegan Inspire Resort in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, marked the first global insurance conference in Korea, according to the Samsung Group subsidiary. "With the insurance industr
Industry June 6, 2024
-
FSS chief vows to normalize PF, stock short sales in his final year
Lee Bok-hyun, head of South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service, reaffirmed his commitment to resolving ongoing issues, including real estate project financing risks and overhauling the short-selling system, and pledged to accelerate the digitization of finance during the remainder of his term. "Reflecting on the past two years, despite the challenges posed by rising inflation and interest rates, I believe we worked tirelessly to achieve stable financial conditions and foster compas
Economy June 4, 2024
-
Oil, gas stocks skyrocket on massive drilling prospects
Stock prices of oil- and gas-related companies spiked Monday, following President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval for exploratory drilling of potentially massive reserves of natural resources off the country's southeastern coast. Out of 10 stocks that hit upper price limits on Monday, seven were related to oil and gas. The benchmark Kospi was up 1.74 percent from the previous day. Shares of the state-run Korea Gas Corp. surged by 29.9 percent to close at 38,600 won ($28). Other shares in the
Market June 3, 2024
-
Toss Bank outpaces bigger rivals in workers' pay
Internet-only lender Toss Bank led the local banking industry by paying its employees the highest salaries last year, surpassing even the nation's top five commercial banks. According to recent management disclosure reports from the Korea Federation of Banks, Toss Bank, operated by financial technology company Viva Republica, boasted an average annual salary of 126.2 million won ($92,000) for employees in 2023, a notable 11.5 percent increase from the previous year's 113.14 million won
Industry June 3, 2024
-
NPS targets 5.4% return from fund operations over next 5 years
The government has set a target return rate of 5.4 percent for the National Pension Service fund operations over the next five years. On Friday, the NPS announced that its Fund Management Committee had approved the midterm asset allocation plan for the 2025-2029 period, establishing a target return rate of 5.4 percent. In accordance with the committee's decision earlier this month to increase the long-term allocation of investments in high-risk assets to 65 percent, the target asset proport
Economy May 31, 2024
-
Chubb unites Korean insurance arms under 'Lina' brand
US insurance group Chubb is uniting its three Korean affiliates under the Lina brand, seeking to create synergies by integrating brand identities. Ace American Fire and Marine Insurance Company Korea, Chubb's general insurance subsidiary, announced Friday that it will rename its brand from Ace General Insurance to Lina General Insurance starting Saturday, aligning with Chubb Korea's other affiliates -- Lina Life Insurance and Lina One. "The unified 'Lina' brand embodies
Industry May 31, 2024
-
Toss Bank racks up profits for third quarter in row
Toss Bank has achieved its third consecutive quarter of net profit, fueling anticipation for the internet-only bank's first profitable year in 2024. The bank announced on Friday a net profit of 14.8 billion won ($10.72 million) in the first quarter, marking a turnaround from the net loss of 28 billion won recorded in the same period last year. This figure nearly doubled from the 8.6 billion won logged in the third quarter of the previous year, when the online bank first reported a quarterly
Industry May 31, 2024
Most Popular
-
1
BTS, NewJeans fandoms clash over Hybe-Min Hee-jin conflict
-
2
N. Korea launches missiles in latest show of military, nuclear strength
-
3
High temperatures may worsen mental health conditions: study
-
4
Yoon leaves for Prague to cement nuclear energy push
-
5
Samsung under pressure after Intel's foundry spin-off: analysts
-
6
Samsung chief travels to France to encourage young talents
-
7
Korean battery makers zero in on global commercial EV market
-
8
[Off the Pages] German bestseller gets new twist in ‘Snow White Must Die -- Black Out’
-
9
N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles: JCS
-
10
4th case of lumpy skin disease confirmed in S. Korea