The chief of an association representing 440 brokerages and asset management firms in South Korea apologized Thursday for a series of hedge fund fiascos and vowed to strengthen voluntary monitoring of the market. “We will concentrate on our capability to rebuild trust and carry out sustainable innovative tasks,” said Korea Financial Investment Association Chairman Na Jae-chul. “We think now is the time for the market players to open their eyes. To help them make a new leap f

South Korea’s financial regulator on Thursday held a joint working group meeting to discuss measures to nurture financial services based on artificial intelligence technologies, in preparation for new waves of digital transformation in the sector.  Hosted by the Financial Services Commission, the meeting was attended by traditional local lenders, fintech firms and leading AI programming companies.  Its main agenda was to seek ways to improve the current regulations that hampe

Electronic payment service provider Kakao Pay said Thursday it aims to expand its service to enable bills to be created, delivered and paid online to spearhead Korea’s aim to transform into a paperless society. Capitalizing on the group’s popular mobile messenger platform KakaoTalk, Kakao Pay is likely to dominate the e-bills market by inviting more e-bill distributors to its platform, Lee Seung-hyo, chief product officer of Kakao Pay, said in a seminar held in Seoul. “At th

South Korean stocks opened nearly flat Thursday amid rising Sino-American tensions and recovery hopes of the pandemic-hit global economy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 2.13 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,199.75 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investors walked a tight rope between signs of a global economic recovery and the rising political friction between the world's two largest economies. US industrial production in June jumped 5.4 percent from a month a

The South Korean benchmark stock index finished above the 2,200-level for the first time in nearly five months on Wednesday, largely on hopes for a coronavirus vaccine and economic recovery. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 18.27 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 2,201.88. The index surpassed 2,200 for the first time since 2,210.34 on Feb. 19. Trading volume was high at about 811 million shares worth some 13.4 trillion won ($11.

Seoul-based property investment house Mastern Investment Management said Wednesday it plans to invite 110 billion won ($91.6 million) in South Korean retail money through its new real estate investment trust to take over part of equities in an office building in the suburb of Paris. Mastern plans to list the REIT’s 22 million shares, each priced at 5,000 won, on Korea’s main bourse Kospi in August. The listing schedule will be determined after an initial public offering that is set

The South Korean real estate market ranked 30th in terms of transparency, a survey showed Wednesday. According to Jones Lang LaSalle Korea, the country climbed one notch in its Global Real Estate Transparency Index, a benchmark of real estate market transparency that covers 99 countries. The index studies 210 indicators, including the level of sustainable management, resilience to economic crisis and technological advances of respective countries.  Officials of the global real estate se

South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday, buoyed by progress toward a new coronavirus vaccine. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 32.14 points, or 1.47 percent, to 2,215.75 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investor sentiment improved following new reports that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. showed progress. The US biopharmaceutical firm's vaccine produced antibodies in all patients during an initial safety trial, according to the reports. T

South Korean stocks closed marginally lower Tuesday amid concerns over a global resurgence in new coronavirus outbreaks, despite a massive stimulus package and rising demand in China. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 2.45 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 2,183.61. Trading volume was high at about 800 million shares worth some 11.4 trillion won ($9.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 477 to 356. Foreigners sold

Seoul-based joint venture NH-Amundi Asset Management said Tuesday that it named Nicolas Simon as the deputy chief executive officer of the France-based asset management house’s South Korean arm on Monday. Simon is formerly a deputy CEO of State Bank of India Funds Management, a joint venture of State Bank of India and Amundi to lead Amundi’s Indian operation. He served the term for five years until March. The start date has yet to be determined, according to NH-Amundi. Simon wi

South Korean firm JR Asset Management said Tuesday it is eyeing its first cross-border real estate investment trust to list on the nation’s main bourse Kospi in early August. JR Global REIT is designed to invest in Belgium’s second-tallest skyscraper Finance Tower Complex. Located in Brussel’s central business district, the 36-story building was valued at 1.44 billion euros ($1.29 billion) as of June 21, JR AMC President and CEO Kim Kwan-young said in a press briefing. &ldq

South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday, following overnight losses on Wall Street amid the growing toll of the coronavirus pandemic around the world. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 7.85 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,178.21 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Major US stock indices ended weaker on Monday (New York time), with the confirmed COVID-19 toll topping 13 million globally. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.13 percent to 10,390.84, snapping a three-session winni

South Korea’s oldest online-only lender K bank said Monday it has resumed its consumer loan business through its mobile apps. The new loan products will be offered either in the form of personal loans for consumers with mid- to high-credit scores or overdrafts. The annual interest rate for borrowers will be 2.08 percent at its lowest. Borrowers’ credit-worthiness will be assessed under K bank’s own credit scoring system that applies machine-learning techniques and big data

  A combined market value of Naver Corp., South Korea's top internet portal operator, and other so-called 'untact' stocks, such as Kakao Corp., have seen their combined market cap surpass the 100-trillion won ($83.27 billion) mark for the first time amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. The market capitalization of the three companies, including Kakao, the operator of the country's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk, and leading game developer NCSOFT Corp., came to 100.7 trillion won as of Mo

South Korean shares closed higher Monday despite a hike in global virus outbreaks, buoyed by growing expectations for an additional stimulus package. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 35.81 points, or 1.67 percent, to close at 2,186.06. Trading volume was high at about 642 million shares worth some 10.3 trillion won ($8.6 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 613 to 230. Foreigners bought a net 100 billion won, whil