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Nov 21, 2022
- FSC Plans Regulatory Reforms in Insurance Sector to Promote Digital Transformation
- The FSC announced a plan to reform regulations on insurance businesses to help the insurance sector more effectively respond to emerging demands for new services and to facilitate the entry of specific business models expected by the market. The plan has been screened by the financial regulatory innovation committee at its 4th meeting held on November 14. Authorities will prepare revision bills to amend relevant laws with a goal of submitting and passing them at the current 21st term of National Assembly. Background The FSC has listened to opinions on the areas that require regulatory reforms through discussions within a taskforceon insurance sector (from February) and the survey of demands (June-July) conducted across all financial industry groups. Among 234 regulatory reform items raised by eight financial industry groups, the demand for regulatory reform in the insurance sector was particularly high (77 items). According to the taskforce and the survey, the insurance industry faces hindrance in effectively adapting to disruptive changes of business environment due to outdated and stringent regulations. First, even with a spread of digital economy based on network- and platform-based services, the level of digital transformation in the insurance market is still at a nascent stage, requiring an urgent industrial restructuring. Second, compared to insurance markets in other countries and other domestic financial markets, insurance businesses face excessive regulations for product development and asset management, which restrict insurance companies from supplying diverse types of financial products and weaken their global competitiveness.Third, there are cases where the rigor of penalizing practices and supervisory administration led to excessive restriction on the sales activities of insurance companies. For the consumer service of the supervisory authorities to deal with civil complaints, which cannot be served promptly due to the limited number of staff members an
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Nov 18, 2022
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Nov 16, 2022
- KoFIU Holds Talks with CEOs of VASPs and Discusses Market Situation
- The KoFIU held a meeting with CEOs of five major virtual asset service providers (VASPs)in Korea on November 16 and discussed their current anti-money laundering (AML) procedures and controls on overseas withdrawal and remittance of virtual assets, and their custody and management of customer assets. With regard to the AML procedures and controls of domestic VASPs, the heads of VASPs said that the level of transparency in virtual asset transfer increased after the travel rule took effect from March 25 this year, and that they run the whitelistingand blacklistingsystems, which block transactions with high-risk traders. In particular, they said that VASPs are regularly monitoring and blocking wallet addresses that are used in crypto mixers, which split and blend virtual assets of many users together to obfuscate the origins and traces of the funds. In this regard, KoFIU authorities said that it is important to prevent money laundering taking place when users virtual assets are transferred to high-risk countries or traders via personal wallets and the likes. For this, authorities asked VASPs to establish a standard for detecting suspicious transactions and enhance screening and checking the origin of the users funds and the purpose of his or her transactions. Regarding the condition of domestic VASPs custody services for customer assets, authorities emphasized the importance of user protection efforts made by VASPs. Authorities indicated the need to set up a real-time information system on customers assets in custody and asked VASPs to closely monitor the safety of their transaction support for the self-issued virtual assets. In the wake of the recent FTX crash, authorities said that they will support the ongoing legislative efforts at the National Assembly to ensure that relevant user protection measures are discussed. The heads of VASPs said that the root of the FTX collapse was the inappropriate use of customer assets by the company management and the misuse of self
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Nov 16, 2022
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Nov 14, 2022
- Single-stop Online Loan Transfer System to be Set Up to Reduce Interest Burden on Consumers
- The FSC announced its plan to set up a single-stop online loan transfer system on November 14 to help alleviate the burden of high interest rates on financial consumers. With recent interest rate increases, it is necessary to find ways to lessen financial consumers interest costs.The FSC plans to facilitate loan transfer,as one of these ways, allowing financial consumers to more easily swap their present loans to reduced interest rate loans. Current Market Situation Currently, there is not a lot of products for loan transfers in the personal loan market because of inconvenience for the loan applicants and lack of a relevant infrastructure.In the first place, the absence of a fully integrated online system in financial institutions has required the payment of existing loans in the offline mode,which results in time and costs for both financial consumers and financial institutions. Second, since there are very few platforms offering comparison services for loans and because there is a limited amount of information, namely, accurate information on the current loan, the cost (various fees when transferring loan) and the benefits (savings generated from lower interest rate), which can help consumers make informed decisions, borrowers still have a difficult time making a decision about the loan transfer. The FSC announced its plan to set up a single-stop online loan transfer system on November 14 to help alleviate the burden of high interest rates on financial consumers. With recent interest rate increases, it is necessary to find ways to lessen financial consumers interest costs.The FSC plans to facilitate loan transfer,as one of these ways, allowing financial consumers to more easily swap their present loans to reduced interest rate loans. Key Details of Plan a) Build an online loan transfer system between financial institutions The payment of the loan, from the request of payment to the provision of the necessary information and to the final confirmation of the payment
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Nov 11, 2022
- FSC Announces Additional Measures to Stabilize Project Finance ABCP and CP Markets
- FSC Vice Chairman Kim So-young presided over a meeting on November 11 with officials from the FSS, the Bank of Korea, financial industry groups and policy financial institutions to review current market situation. At the meeting, authorities discussed recent trends in financial markets, progress of the governments market stabilization measures announced earlier on October 23 and additional measures to help stabilize the CP (commercial paper) market. At the meeting, participants assessed that since the governments market stabilization programs were first announced on October 23, concerns about a severe credit crunch in bond and money markets have eased somewhat. However, relative to the corporate bond market, there are continuing challenges in short-term money market. Financial investment businesses said that thanks to clear regulatory interpretation offered by financial authorities last week to allow securities firms to purchase ABCPs (asset-backed commercial papers) guaranteed by their own companies, there is less burden of having an oversupply of ABCPs guaranteed by securities firms in the market. However, they indicated that refinancing of ABCPs (especially A2 grade) guaranteed by small- and medium-sized securities firms continues to be difficult, which has led to liquidity problems of securities firms and high levels of their CP spreads. Moreover, authorities reviewed the progress of both the public and private sector efforts to stabilize the bond markets supply and demand situation. The government has reduced the volume of government bond issuance this year. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments plan to pay back debt on municipal bonds and public corporation bonds scheduled to mature before early 2023 and preemptively prepare for portions of guaranteed debt expected to turn into determinate liabilities (total KRW3.4 trillion) through budgeting. In addition, the government is closely working with public institutions to spread out issue da
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Nov 10, 2022
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Nov 09, 2022
- Household Loans, October 2022
- In October 2022, the outstanding balance of household loansacross all financial sectors fell KRW0.2 trillion (m-o-m), declining for the second consecutive month from a month ago (down KRW1.2 trillion).Financial authorities will swiftly roll back relevant loan regulations to help alleviate difficulties of non-speculative homebuyers. At the same time, authorities will stably manage the grow rate of household debt. (Overall) Household loans across all financial sectors dropped KRW0.2 trillion in October. The growth rate (y-o-y) was 0.2 percent which continues to show a downward trend since the second half of 2021. (By Type) Mortgage loans increased at a faster rate than the previous month and other types of loans fell at a slower rate, leading to a slowdown in the pace of an overall decline in household loans. - (Mortgage Loans) Mortgage loans rose KRW2.0 trillion in October, growing at a slightly faster rate compared to the previous month (up KRW1.9 trillion), led by group lending for new apartment subscription. - (Other Types of Loans) Other types of loans fell at a slower rate (down KRW2.2 trillion) compared to a month ago (down KRW3.1 trillion), led by a drop in credit loans. (By Sector) Overall household loans edged down as nonbanks saw a growth and banks maintained a declining trend. - (Banking Sector) Banks saw a drop of KRW0.6 trillion in household loans. Mortgage loans from banks grew KRW1.3 trillion,rising at a faster rate than the previous month (up KRW0.9 trillion), as government-sponsored mortgage lending and group lending for new apartment subscription went up KRW1.0 trillion and KRW0.7 trillion, respectively. Other types of loans from banks fell KRW1.9 trillion, declining at a slower rate than the previous month (down KRW2.1 trillion), led by a drop in credit loans (down KRW1.6 trillion). (Nonbanking Sector) In October, nonbanks saw an increase of KRW0.4 trillion inhousehold loans with declines in mutual finance (down KRW0.4 trillion) and specialized cre
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Nov 09, 2022
- FSC Chairman Meets with Heads of Banks and Discusses Market Stabilization Measures
- FSC Chairman Kim Joo-hyun met with the heads of Korea Federation of Banks and twenty major banks on November 9 and held talks on financial market stabilization efforts. At the meeting, participants shared their outlook and views on financial market conditions and discussed (a) the banking sectors constructive role and action plan for market stabilization and (b) current difficulties in banks financing and operation of funds as well as ways to resolve them. Summary of Remarks by FSC Chairman Rapid increases in interest rates are continuing to put stress on our economic situation. However, unlike in the previous crisis situations such as thefinancial crisis in 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, it is now difficult to handle this situation by lowering interest rates or expanding fiscal spending. Now is the time for the financial industry and the government to come together and respond to difficulties by effectively making use of all available capacities in our economy. Under these circumstances, the banking sector has thus far provided a steady reinforcement to support vulnerable groups and supply liquidity in response to the recent turmoil in money market and bond market. The five major financial holding companies are making efforts to stabilize markets through their support plan announced on November 1. To sustain stability in financial markets, it is necessary to look closely at both the trees and the forest as stated earlier by former Fed chair Ben Bernanke. In this regard, the banking sector, as the core of our financial system, should provide a leading role to stabilize market for the whole financial system over the banking sector. First, aside from abrupt rate hikes, there are concerns about credit crunch that may result from the collapse of market confidence. In this regard, the combined effects of the governments market stabilization measures and the banking sectors efforts to stimulate the flow of funds will significantly help businesses and micro-enterp
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Nov 04, 2022
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Nov 04, 2022
- Authorities Hold Meeting to Review Financing Situation of Specialized Credit Finance Businesses
- The FSC and the FSS held a meeting with the Credit Finance Association of Korea and specialized credit finance business companies (credit card firms and capital companies) on November 4 to review financial market situation. At the meeting, financial authorities checked the borrowing condition (bonds and CPs) of specialized credit finance business companies and listened to their opinions. Financial authorities have been keeping close tabs on the financing condition of specialized credit finance businesses and have already taken a necessary step to facilitate their bond financing by allowing the bond market stabilization fund to buy financial bonds issued by several specialized credit finance businesses from November 3. In the mean time, the ongoing regulatory plan to reduce the maximum ratio of financial bonds issued by specialized credit finance business companies, which are incorporated into the portfolio of derivatives-linked securities (ELS, DLS, etc.) issued by securities firms to hedge risk, will be applied flexibly. According to the previous plan, the maximum ratio would have been 12 percent until the end of 2022 and lowered to 8 percent from the beginning of 2023. However, that plan is postponed for three months, which will allow those ELS or DLS to incorporate up to 12 percent of financial bonds issued by specialized credit finance business companies for the purpose of risk hedging until the end of March 2023. At the meeting, financial authorities encouraged specialized credit finance business companies to make persistent efforts to support the stabilization of financial markets by effectively managing their own liquidity condition and the soundness of their assets. Authorities emphasized that financial authorities and the industry should make joint efforts and communicate regularly to stabilize markets. Financial authorities will continue to closely monitor changes in financial markets and promptly carry out necessary measures to stabilize markets. * Please
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Nov 03, 2022
- Authorities Hold Meeting with Life Insurance Businesses to Monitor Market Situation
- The FSC and the FSS held a meeting with life insurers on November 3 to share current issues in the insurance sector and monitor current market situation. At the meeting, participants discussed the recent situation where insurance companies are having to resort to bond sales due to an abrupt increase in demand for liquid assets following a rise in the number of surrendered savings insurance policies driven by increasing interest rates on savings products amid growing market uncertainties. In this regard, the insurance sector expressed the need for measures that will help them accumulate more liquid assets or alleviate their burden of having to maintain certain levels of liquid assets. In response, financial authorities stated that the insurance companies rising demand for liquid assets is understandable. However, to ensure stability in money market, authorities asked insurers to refrain from selling bonds and more actively contribute to market stabilization efforts as institutional investors. Nonetheless, authorities decided to seek measures to help insurers to better respond to the recently expanded volatility and uncertainty of funding market. To this end, authorities will temporarily ease the liquidity risk evaluation standardfor insurers to facilitate their active contribution to market stabilization efforts such as capital calls for the bond market stabilization fund. In addition, at a meeting with non-life insurers on October 28, authorities already decided to expand the types of liquid assets for insurers when applying the liquidity ratio regulationto ease their burden of maintaining liquid assets. Also, for other measures to increase liquiditysuggested by insurers, authorities will promptly review their viability while maintaining close communication throughout. The measure to temporarily relax the liquidity risk evaluation standard for insurers will take effect promptly with a revision to the detailed regulations on supervision of insurance businesses in Nov
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Nov 01, 2022
- FSC Chairman Meets with Financial Holding Company CEOs and Discusses Market Stabilization Measures
- FSC Chairman Kim Joo-hyun met with CEOs of five major financial holding companieson November 1 and held talks on current financial market situation. At the meeting, Chairman Kim and participants discussed the important role of financial holding companies in stabilizing markets, ensuring liquidity provision to the real economy and providing support for vulnerable debtors. Summary of Remarks by FSC Chairman Amid global monetary policy tightening, Koreas money market reacted sensitively to certain market shocks, which has resulted in the spread of anxieties even to the corporate bond market. However, the governments swift announcement and implementation of market stabilization programs worth KRW50 trillion-plus, in conjunction with the Bank of Korea and the banking sectors speedy efforts, helped to stop market situations from getting worse and that market conditions are gradually returning to stability. To ensure effectiveness in the governments market stabilization measures, it is necessary to have market participants play their parts and cooperate with each other to facilitate seamless circulation of funds. In particular, the role and responsibility of financial holding companies and their affiliated financial institutions like banks are important as they make up a big part of financial markets and have good financial and liquidity conditions. Financial holding companies and their affiliated banks recent earnings temporarily increased mostly as the amount of loans increased amid expansive fiscal and monetary policies put in place to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and as global monetary policy tightening followed. Thus, it is expected that financial holding companies and their affiliated banks will play a role in enabling smooth flow of funds through financial markets by acting as intermediaries to stabilize markets, ensure provision of liquidity to the real economy and assist vulnerable debtors. In this regard, financial holding company CEOs are encouraged to make e
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Oct 28, 2022
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Oct 28, 2022
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Oct 28, 2022
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Oct 27, 2022
- FSC Proposess Revision of Supervisory Regulation on Savings Banks to Improve Soundness Management
- The FSC proposed a revision to the regulations on supervision of mutual savings banks in order to improve management of their financial soundness. The key changes will require savings banks to: (a) set aside additional loan loss reserves for borrowers who have debt accounts with multiple lending institutions; (b) calculate their credit extension limits for real estate-related business category, which is regulated for asset quality control, based on de facto borrowers who have a duty to repay principal; and (c) exclude credit extension to nonoperational business branches (e.g., SPC branches) from the calculation of total credit extension within their operating localities. Background Savings banks have grown steadily since a major industry-wide restructuring in 2014, with total assets and net profits increasing year after year. So far, their financial indicators have been stable. However, as savings banks increasingly deal with vulnerable borrowersdebtors with multiple debt accountsthere is a growing need to strengthen savings banks financial soundness management in preparation for future external shocks such as further interest rate hikes or a drop in housing prices. In order to preventively manage mutual savings banks' financial soundness, authorities prepared the revision proposal below for the supervisory regulation of those institutions. Key Revision Details a) Additional loan loss provisions will be required for borrowers with multiple debt accounts. Most savings banks are currently maintaining higher-than-required loan loss provisions in accordance with the asset soundness categories established by supervisory regulation. However, unlike other financial sectors such as mutual finance and credit card companies, there is no rule requiring savings banks to set aside additional loan loss provisions to cover losses from borrowers with multiple debt accounts. As a result, the supervisory regulation will be amended to require savings banks to establish additional loan
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Oct 27, 2022
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Oct 27, 2022
- Regulation on Loan-to-Deposit Ratio to be Temporarily Eased to Facilitate Corporate Financing
- The FSC announced that financial authorities will temporarily ease the regulation on loan-to-deposit ratio, which will enable banks and savings banks to provide sufficient liquidity to businesses. The demand for business loans increased as a result of the recent contraction of the corporate bond market.However, the current regulation on loan-to-deposit ratiohas prevented banks from responding actively to these demands for borrowing. To facilitate active response, loan-to-deposit ratio is chosen as a first step of temporary regulatory easing because it is only domestically regulated and swiftly adjustable. Authorities will continue to monitor financial market situations and consider whether other deregulatory steps on such indexes like LCR (liquidity coverage ratio), NSFR (net stable funding ratio) should be taken. Details of Temporary Regulatory Easing To help banks and savings banks to more effectively respond to corporate loan requests, the loan-to-deposit ratio requirements will be eased from 100 percent for both to 105 percent for banks and 110 percent for savings banks. The eased loan-to-deposit ratio requirements will be applied for upcoming six months first, and authorities will take into account extending the period after reviewing market situation. With this easing of loan-to-deposit ratio requirements, banks and savings banks will have additional capacity to lend more to businesses. Furthermore, competition for deposit-taking is alleviated, and thus reduced borrowing costs will help in part to contain upward pressure on interest rates of corporate loans. Further Plan Financial authorities will issue a no-action letter in October to allow temporary easing of loan-to-deposit ratio rules immediately. Changing the calculation method will also take effect immediately with a no-action letter in October, but authorities will revise the supervisory regulation on banking business afterward to make the change officially. Authorities will maintain close communication
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Oct 26, 2022
