Top Korean firms see surge in foreign customers here The loan default rate of KoreanThe number of foreigners subscribed to insurance in Korea last year doubled from 2005, mainly due to relaxed application procedures and the rising number of international marriages, industry sources said Sunday.The number of foreigners who have subscribed to insurance offered by the country’s top three insurance fi

Watchdog likely to suspend around three more savings banksFinancial regulators plan to launch fresh investigations into 10 more savings banks that survived the probe earlier this year, brewing another round of major upheaval in the country’s scandal-ridden secondary banking sector.A taskforce of auditors from three state agencies ― Financial Supervisory Service, Financial Services Commission and K

Foreign investors have apparently been banned from participating in the coming bidding for Woori Financial Group, the nation’s largest financial company by assets.Financial Services Commission chairman Kim Seok-dong clarified Friday that the authorities will hand over the state-run financial group to a Korean bidder.His remarks came during the FSC’s report to the National Assembly on the financial

  South Korea's current account surplus rose to the highest level in four months in April as robust exports overshadowed an increase in dividend payouts by local firms to foreign investors, the central bank said Friday.   The current account surplus reached US$1.88 billion in April, up from a revised $1.33 billion the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). The current account is the

U.S. Lone Star Funds has been suspected of omitting a significant document when it made a report to Korea’s financial regulator in March, an opposition lawmaker alleged.Rep. Lim Young-ho of the Liberty Forward Party said a unit of Lone Star owns 130 golf courses worth about 3.7 trillion won ($3.36 billion) in Japan, demanding regulatory sanction against the buyout fund.He called for the Financial

BOK report shows debts surpassed 800 trillion won for the first time in Q1 of the yearSnowballing household debts have emerged as a main factor undermining financial status of the middle- and low-income brackets of the local banking industry.According to the Bank of Korea, the nation’s household debts have surpassed 800 trillion won for the first time during the first quarter of the year.Outstandi

Korean stocks finished 1.26 percent lower on Wednesday as foreigners extended their selling amid concerns over Europe’s debt risks, analysts said. The local currency lost ground against the U.S. dollar.After starting higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index slumped 25.89 points to 2,035.87. Trading volume was moderate at 341.8 million shares worth 6.84 trillion won ($6.2 billion), w

Board to discuss on eurozone woes possible extension of KEB takeover dealHana Financial Group plans to hold an emergency board meeting as early as this week to conclude the issue on whether to extend the expiry date of a takeover deal with U.S. Lone Star Funds.The initial contract between Hana and Lone Star to trade shares of Korea Exchange Bank expired on May 24 and they have all been entitled to

Korea is moving to quicken a regulatory revision in a bid to launch the first local hedge fund within the year, an official at the financial regulator said.The Financial Services Commission had planned to submit a revision bill to the capital market law to parliament in July or August as part of its efforts to spur the creation of local hedge funds. Instead of rewriting the law, the FSC will seek

South Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor Group will seek to significantly increase its sales of energy-efficient hybrid cars next week, group officials said Tuesday, amid increasing government efforts to promote the use of clean energy.Hyundai Motor Group, the world's fifth-largest automaker, has the country's two leading automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. under its wing."The g

Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Seok-dong said it would not be easy to order U.S. Lone Star Funds to sell its stake in Korea Exchange Bank by directing “concrete” sale terms.His remarks are based on the assumption that the financial regulator will decide to issue a sanction of coercive stake sale against the Texas-based buyout fund, suspected of stock manipulation.“(Under the scenario o