(123RF)Banks posted a record-low combined net interest margin in the latest quarterly report largely due to the continued low key interest rate, the Financial Supervisory Service revealed Tuesday. 　In the July-September period, the 17 lenders operating in Korea reaped a record-low 1.56 percent in combined net interest margin, a gauge for profitability, from 1.58 percent in the previous quarter. 　During the same period, interest income fell for the fourth consecutive quarter to 8.4 trillion won (

Korea’s ratio of self-employed people to its working population stands at 23.2 percent, the fifth highest among the 34 member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to a report recently released by a research arm of the National Assembly. The four countries with higher figures are Greece (31.8 percent), Mexico (27.5 percent), Turkey (23.9 percent) and Italy (23.7 percent).What is common with the top four is that their economies are heavily reliant on touri

                                                             Hallyu actor Kim Soo-hyun models for Lemona.                                                                                         (Kyung Nam Pharm. Co., Ltd.)The stock of Kyung Nam Pharm Co., the maker of decades-old vitamin C product Lemona, crashed Monday on charges of stock manipulation. 　The pharmaceutical company’s stocks closed at 7,200 won ($6.20), down 1,170 won, or 13.98 percent, on the tech-laden KOSDAQ. 　The Financial Sup

 The U.S. dollar rose sharply in the local market as the majority of global investment banks -- in their recent projections -- tilted toward the possibility that the Federal Reserve will raise the base rate next month.The shift, from the formerly growing outlook on a hike delay, was due to the marked improvement in the U.S. employment and some other indices. On Monday, the dollar surged 1.33 percent, or 15.3 won, from a trading session before to close at 1,157.2 won.This is the highest level in