[THE INVESTOR] The prosecution on July 11 indicted National Agricultural Cooperative Federation chairman Kim Byeong-won on charges of breaking election laws regarding public entities. The NACF is Korea’s largest agroindustry body that counts NongHyup Financial Group among its affiliates. Kim is the fifth NACF chief to be elected into office, and the fifth elected-chairman to come under investigation. The NACF chairman attends at prosecutor's office / The InvestorKim is suspected for breaking ele

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s issuance of derivatives-linked securities has soared to a record level during the first half of the year as the upward trend in oil and gold prices continues, data showed on July 8. A total of 14 trillion won (US$12 billion) worth of derivatives-tied securities has been sold during the January to June period, up 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to data compiled by the Korea Securities Depository.It is the highest half-year figure so far. “Strengthening internation

[THE INVESTOR] The Korea Development Bank, a state-owned policy bank, said on July 7 that it has started investing in China’s onshore stock markets as a renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor. The KDB plans to put some 1 billion yuan of funds into securities and bonds listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange as well as China’s interbank bond market. The Korea Development Bank“As a policy bank representing Korea, we will play a major role in the financial cooperation between the

[THE INVESTOR] The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is expected to start searching for a replacement for Hong Kyttack, one of its chief risk officers, as soon as the bank president Jin Liqun returns from an overseas business trip this month. Hong had been serving as chief risk officer for just a few months before he came under fire in Korea for exposing the inadequacy of state-run Korea Development Bank, at which he had previously served as president. AIIB was not available for comment. Hong

[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Venture Investment is one of this year’s top five strategic investors funding start-ups in terms of investment volume, the company said on July 7.“We are in the top bracket, and have been there for several years now,” said Kim Young-min, a spokesperson for the firm. He added that the specific amount or recipients of the funding could not be revealed, other than those that have already been released to the media. Samsung Venture Investment‘s main function is to invest in st

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean companies investing in venture companies will be given tax credits, as part of the government’s measures for boosting investment revealed on July 7. According to the plans, local companies that directly invest in ventures, or place money in investment funds specializing in venture companies will be given tax credits on 5 percent of the funds involved. The measure, which will apply to local companies and financial institutions, will be established during the final quar

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s National Pension Service has named seven private equity firms to run 200 billion won (US$172 million) of its funds, the pension giant said on July 7. The NPS, which oversees $430 billion in assets, hired Aju IB Investment and KTB Network as general manager of the venture fund. Five others including Medici Investment, Seoul Investment Partners, Wonik Investment Partners, Innopolis Partners and G.N.Tech Venture Capital were named as preliminary mangers. National Pensio