SC First Bank, the South Korea unit of Standard Chartered Plc, said Tuesday that it has reopened a total of 27 branches that had been temporarily closed due to a labor strike over the introduction of a merit pay system.SC First Bank has resumed operations at 27 of the 42 shuttered branches, a bank spokeswoman said.But there is no timetable for reopening the other branches and developments will depend on how the ongoing labor dispute unfolds.SC First Bank is the first lender operating in South Ko

Lenders respond to public criticism over high commission feesCommercial banks bowed to pressure from the public and financial authorities, and disclosed their plan to lower or scrap over 100 services charges they impose on trivial electronic services.A joint letter from 18 local banks was sent to the Financial Supervisory Service where they agreed to cut major service charges, including discounts of up to 50 percent for using cash machines. The banks agreed to decrease the number of service fees

South Korean stocks closed 0.51 percent lower on Tuesday as institutions and retail investors opted to lock in profits from the recent rallies as the main stock index neared the 1,900 mark for the first time in nearly two months, analysts said. The local currency climbed against the U.S. dollar.After surpassing the 1,900-level at one point, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index slipped 9.67 points to 1,888.65. Trading volume was moderate at 348.6 million shares worth 5.97 trillion ($5.

The Asian Development Bank said Tuesday that Koreans will enjoy a higher standard of living than the Japanese by 2030, projecting the country’s gross domestic product per capita and purchasing power to exceed that of Japan.In a Seoul seminar co-hosted by the Finance Ministry, the regional lender said the GDP per capita of Korea will stand at $56,000 by 2030, above Japan’s $53,000. It said Korea’s GDP per capita will be similar to that of the U.S. by 2050, at around $98,000.In its “Asia 2050” pub

SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's financial regulator is expected to order Lone Star Funds to sell the bulk of its stake in Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) after the U.S. buyout firm said it cannot meet the requirements as the major shareholder of the fifth-largest lender, watchers said Tuesday.Lon

South Korea should strengthen its fiscal health to brace for growing welfare demand from the nation’s fast-aging population and protracted low birth rates, the top economic policymaker said Monday.“Low birth rates and aging population could result in decreasing the number of economically active people and hiking welfare spending, all of which could undercut the nation’s growth potential and worsen its fiscal status,” Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan told a gathering in Seoul.“We should prepare ours

South Korean stocks closed 3.26 percent higher Monday as investor sentiment was underpinned by growing prospects for solutions to curb the eurozone debt woes, analysts said. The local currency rose against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark KOSPI rose 59.94 points to close at 1,898.32. Trading volume was moderate at 369.3 million shares worth 6.66 trillion won ($5.88 billion) with gainers outpacing losers 691 to 165. “Growing hopes for resolving the eurozone debt crisis gave solace to investors,” sai

National Pension Service boosts overseas real estate investmentsNational Pension Service chairman Jun Kwang-woo said he sees investment opportunities in Europe as major state properties, such as Spain’s Madrid Airport, are to be privatized.In an interview with the Yonhap news agency after his Europe trip for an industry forum Sunday, the head of the world’s fourth-largest pension fund said NPS will be “actively eying” the undervalued properties expected in the market as some states enter debt re

South Korea’s central bank will resume its efforts to raise the interest rate if a set of external economic uncertainties are reduced, its chief has said.Bank of Korea policymakers face a dilemma in how to deal with lingering inflation concerns and heightened economic uncertainty sparked by dimmer g

Korea’s economic growth rate is forecast at far below the estimated inflation gain this year, data showed on Sunday, raising fears that the country might be entering an era of a chronically slow growth. According to the data by the Korea Center of International Finance, 10 foreign investment banks p

South Korean stocks stand to be affected by the outcome of next week's summit talks among European leaders as the fiscal debt crises in Greece and other eurozone countries still weigh on the overall market sentiment here, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI)

The government will soon finalize the won-yuan swap expansion deal with Chinese authorities to boost the $26 billion currency swap currently in place, multiple sources at the Finance Ministry confirmed on Thursday. A senior ministry official said the expansion of the won-yuan swap was proposed by th