The nation’s biggest credit card firms are expected to receive regulatory punishment for unauthorized sales activities.The Financial Supervisory Service has uncovered about 20,000 irregular cases including reckless issuance of credit cards.Since May, the regulatory agency has been probing six major credit card issuers ― Shinhan, Hyundai, KB Kookmin, Samsung, Lotte and Hana-SK ― in a bid to curb ex

July 25, 2011

Policymakers worried about EU debt crisisThe nation’s chief financial regulator has picked stabilization of the foreign exchange market as the most urgent task in the financial market.Over the weekend, Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Seok-dong pledged to put priority on securing liquidity in banks’ foreign currency trading, saying that the issue was “the No. 1 regulatory target for this

July 24, 2011

Financial regulators plan to allow savings banks which meet requirements for financial soundness to operate an installment financing business unit.The regulatory decision comes under the Financial Services Commission’s strong commitment to reviving the distressed savings banking industry.Savings banks are required to satisfy two requirements to open an installment financing unit: They should see t

July 20, 2011

LONDON (AP) -- London's departing police chief revealed Tuesday that 10 of the 45 press officers in his department used to work for News International, but he denied there are any improper links between the force and Rupert Murdoch's media empire.Paul Stephenson was giving evidence to a committee of lawmakers investigating wrongdoing at the now-shuttered tabloid News of the World, and allegations

World News July 19, 2011

The Bank of Korea said Tuesday it would narrow the scope of foreign exchange banks’ bond purchasing as part of its efforts to minimize side effects.As many local and foreign banks have actively invested in foreign currency-denominated bonds, the nation has undergone steep growth in foreign currency debts and the Korean won’s appreciation.Banks will be banned from investing in foreign currency-deno

July 19, 2011

The nation’s chief financial regulator has expressed his skepticism toward major financial groups’ plan to offer its shareholders generous dividends.“Though it is important to maximize shareholder rights, it is also important for financial companies to protect customer rights,” Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Kwon Hyouk-se told reporters on Tuesday.It would be desirable for major financial grou

July 19, 2011

European banks expected to expand presence in Korea under Korea-EU FTAEuropean banks are expected to expand their presence in the local market following the implementation of the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement.Those aiming to making inroads into Korea include Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A., a lender headquartered in Spain and the third-largest lender in the EU.Korea’s regulatory officials are

July 19, 2011

Financial regulators plan to activate micro-loan issuances to individuals from the savings banking industry by curbing excessive competition among credit card companies.The plan comes as credit card issuers have been vying to issue loans despite customers’ low credit standings.“Though the savings banking industry has been severely damaged due to construction-related toxic loans, there are still ma

July 7, 2011

The nation’s financial regulator is investigating four major commercial banks on suspicion of unauthorized lending, banking sources said Wednesday.The four facing a probe are Kookmin, Woori, Shinhan and Hana, and the Financial Supervisory Service has recently completed its preliminary examination of the banks, the sources said.The unauthorized lending practice refers to banks’ demand that borrower

July 6, 2011