Lee Jae Myung’s war on housing speculation

President Lee Jae Myung has declared war on housing speculation, using X as both a megaphone and a pressure tool. “For the sake of a sensible and prosperous nation, I will rein in, by any means, real estate speculation that can ruin the country,” Lee wrote in an X post on Feb. 3. In just over a month, he has posted more than two dozen times on real estate, framing it not as a narrow property issue but as a broader distortion of the national economy. “Housing speculation robs young people of hope

March 8, 2026

Hyundai Capital sells Korea’s first public yuan kimchi bond

Hyundai Capital said Thursday it has issued South Korea’s first publicly offered offshore yuan-denominated kimchi bond by a financial institution. The 660 million yuan ($95.6 million) notes carry a two-year maturity and a coupon of 2.2 percent. KB Securities acted as lead manager. Kimchi bonds are foreign-currency debt sold in Korea’s domestic capital market, allowing issuers to tap local investors for overseas funding. The deal marks the first public offering of a yuan-denominated kimchi bond.

March 6, 2026

K bank reaches Kospi after long, bumpy IPO journey

The market has proved no easy battlefield for K bank, Korea’s first online-only lender, as it finally completed a long and bumpy journey to the Kospi on Thursday, following two failed attempts to go public. The debut drew a strong reception, with the stock surging as much as 16 percent to 9,880 won ($6.70) in the first hour of trading, well above its initial public offering price of 8,300 won. K bank sold 60 million shares in the IPO, raising about 498 billion won and valuing the lender at rough

March 5, 2026

Hana Financial teams with Circle, Crypto.com on USDC payments

Hana Financial Group is stepping up its push into stablecoin payments in South Korea, launching a promotional campaign for foreign visitors using USDC through partnerships with Circle and Crypto.com. The group said Thursday that its card unit, Hana Card, will offer 5 percent cashback in CRO, a token issued by Crypto.com, to foreign users who pay at Korean merchants using Crypto.com’s prepaid Visa card funded with USDC. The promotion follows a partnership signed in December between Hana Card and

March 5, 2026

Toss Bank CEO eyes second term after profit turnaround

Toss Bank CEO Lee Eun-mi is set to extend her leadership after the bank’s executive nomination committee recommended her for reappointment. The online-only lender, operated by fintech unicorn Toss, said Tuesday that the committee had completed its review process and selected Lee as the sole candidate for chief executive. Since launching the succession process in January, the committee evaluated candidates capable of sustaining growth while ensuring organizational stability. At its final meeting

March 3, 2026

Eximbank Korea launches W40tr Middle East relief program

Korea Export-Import Bank is providing support for Korean companies affected by conflict in the Middle East, including financial assistance and a dedicated response desk at its headquarters. The state-run lender said Tuesday it will activate a risk response program providing up to 40 trillion won ($27.3 billion) in emergency liquidity for companies affected by the US and Israel-Iran war The decision was made at a meeting Monday, where officials reviewed potential shock scenarios for the real econ

March 3, 2026

South Korean economy braces for Middle East fallout, banks step in

South Korea’s financial sector is preparing for potential fallout from escalating conflict in the Middle East, with major banking groups rolling out emergency support programs for companies exposed to rising geopolitical risks while authorities step up monitoring of financial markets. Hana Financial Group said Monday it will provide a 12 trillion won ($8.2 billion) financial support package through Hana Bank for companies vulnerable to disruptions linked to the conflict, including emergency liqu

March 2, 2026

Kakao Pay surges as Circle earnings fuel stablecoin rally

Kakao Pay, the payments arm of Kakao Corp., surged on Thursday after the USDC issuer Circle delivered an overnight earnings surprise that rippled through stablecoin-linked shares in Seoul. The stock climbed as much as 14 percent to 73,300 won ($51.38) in morning trading on the Kospi, before shedding some of the gains to close at 68,300 won. The rally came as Kakao Pay, viewed as one of the leading players in Korea’s emerging stablecoin sector, tracks Circle’s roughly 35 percent jump in New York

Feb. 26, 2026

Hana Bank, K-Sure pledge W5tr to back Korean exporters

Hana Bank is stepping up its productive finance push with K-Sure, committing 5 trillion won ($3.5 billion) over three years to support local exporters, a key pillar of Korea’s export-driven economy. The lender said a signing ceremony was held in Seoul on Wednesday, attended by Hana Bank CEO Lee Ho-sung, Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan and K-Sure CEO Jang Young-jin. The agreement establishes a strategic partnership between Hana Bank and the state-run trade insurer, with the two sides pledging to cha

Feb. 26, 2026

KDB chief vows support for petrochemical reform, unveils W250tr growth push

Korea Development Bank Chairman and CEO Park Sang-jin on Wednesday threw the lender’s weight behind the government’s 2.1 trillion won ($1.46 billion) support package for the country’s first petrochemical restructuring, pledging to lead the overhaul of the Daesan complex as lead policy lender. Speaking at his first press conference since taking office in August, Park said KDB would take on over 40 percent of the 1 trillion won in fresh funding earmarked for the restructuring of the Daesan complex

Feb. 25, 2026