[THE INVESTOR] Customer deposits at Korean securities companies have surged to a new high, data showed on June 21, as investors seek high-yielding vehicles amid record-low interest rates. On June 9, the Bank of Korea slashed its key interest rate by a quarter-percentage point to 1.25 percent in an apparent bid to cushion any fallout from the ongoing corporate restructuring drive and bolster the sputtering economy.It was the first rate cut in 12 months.According to data by the Korea Exchange and

[THE INVESTOR] The Bank of Korea said on June 21 it has collected more than 260 million dormant coins to turn them back into circulation. The central bank started the recollection campaign in May and people turned in some 267 million coins, worth 36.7 billion won (US$31.64 million), to convert them into banknotes. The result marks a 1.9 percent increase in the number of reclaimed coins from last year’s campaign, and a 1.4 percent rise in their combined value. BOK is making a big push to turn the

[THE INVESTOR] Japanese financial authorities have uncovered insider trading concerning Korean games maker Neowiz Games’ Japanese subsidiary, local news reported on June 21. According to reports, an employee became aware that the company was planning to buy up shares of its Japanese unit Game On. Having gained the information, the employee then traded Game On shares after the plans were made public in 2011.At the time, Neowiz Games acquired Game On shares worth 2 billion yen (US$19 million) to r

Government decides to expand Busan's Gimhae Airport instead

[THE INVESTOR] Korean securities firms started to trade Korea Exchange’s flagship KOSPI 200 futures directly with US customers, KRX said on June 21.KRX, the country’s bourse operator, said it has cleared hurdles that had undermined the sales of Korean derivative products in the US by receiving approvals from two US financial regulators. “The sales activity related to derivative products is expected to gain momentum in the US,” said Yoo Hee-wook, director of Derivative Product Marketing division.