Press Releases - Financial Services Commission

Press Releases

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Mar 17, 2020

New Legislation on Financial Consumer Protection Approved at Cabinet Meeting

The new legislation on financial consumer protection was approved at a cabinet meeting on March 17, 2020. It will be promulgated in March and will become effective one year after in March 2021.1 The new legislation is a part of the government’s policy initiatives to improve the fairness in the economy.EXPECTATIONThe new legislation on financial consumer protection attempts to level the playing field between consumers and financial institutions. It represents a significant turning point as it will help enhance consumer rights and improve public confidence in financial institutions.I. CLOSING REGULATORY LOOPHOLES AND STRENGTHENING ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES► The six major sales regulations2 currently applied to selected financial products will be applied to all financial products.► Strict punishment such as punitive fines3 will be imposed on violations of the sales regulations, and the government may issue a sales ban to prevent massive consumer damage.II. BOOSTING EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSUMER REMEDIES IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND LITIGATION► Financial firms will not be allowed to file a lawsuit for the purpose of leaving the conflict resolution process and avoiding mediation, and courts may decide to halt further legal process through a stay of proceedings if the lawsuit brought to them are unresolved conflict resolution cases.► The burden of proof in liability for damage cases will be transferred to the seller, and consumers will be entitled to the right to request information to be used in conflict resolution cases or lawsuits.III. EXPANDING CONSUMER CHOICES AND IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY► Consumers are entitled to the right to withdraw subscription within a certain period of time, and may resort to unilateral termination of contracts when violation of sales regulations is found.► Financial firms will be required to explain important information such as the risk levels of investment products, and also by law provide a comparative information of financial products
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Mar 13, 2020

FSC to Ease Rules on Overseas Expansion of Financial Institutions

The FSC announced on March 12, 2020 its plans to revise the regulations on overseas expansion of financial institutions in order to ease regulatory burdens of operating overseas businesses and help boost their global competitiveness. The amendments will include streamlining the registration and reporting process and easing unnecessary requirements. The revisions will take effect gradually within this year in a two-pronged process.KEY FEATURESThe first stage amendments to the regulations include a) an expanded application of the ex post facto reporting rule for foreign direct investment, b) an improvement to the regular reporting process, and c) a simplified reporting rule for dissolving overseas businesses.I. EX POST FACTO REPORTING RULE FOR FDI(As is) In principle, all financial institutions are required to report their foreign direct investment activities before overseas investment takes place.(To be) Allow ex post facto reporting of new foreign direct investment for financial institutions with cumulative investment in the amount of USD30 million or less during the recent year.The government will work to maintain the stability in the FX market by reviewing the soundness of overseas investment businesses and through the imposition of penalties for businesses deemed to be substandard.II. IMPROVEMENT TO REGULAR REPORTING REQUIREMENT(As is) Financial companies are required to report the status of the establishment and operation of their overseas businesses to both the Financial Supervisory Service and the Bank of Korea once every three months.(To be) Financial companies will report the status of the establishment and operation of overseas businesses to the FSS once every year.The information provided to the FSS will be shared with the Bank of Korea.III. EX POST FACTO REPORTING RULE FOR DISSOLVING OVERSEAS BRANCHES(As is) When seeking dissolution of overseas business operations or making changes to the initial declaration, financial institutions are required to report
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Mar 11, 2020

Household Loans, February 2020

The outstanding balance of household loans in all financial sectors rose KRW9.1 trillion (up 4.9% year-on-year) at the end of February 2020. The household loan balance increased KRW9.3 trillion in the banking sector (up 8.5% year-on-year) while declining KRW200 billion in the non-banking sector (down 0.7% year-on-year).By types, mortgage loans increased KRW6.9 trillion in February (up 5.0% year-on-year). Regular mortgage loans, jeonse loans and group lending expanded KRW7.8 trillion in the banking sector, while non-banks saw a drop of KRW900 billion due to the availability of refinancing products with lower interest mortgage loans. Other types of loans rose KRW2.1 trillion (up 4.8% year-on-year) due to a rise in credit lending.The government will closely monitor trends in household loans while implementing the mortgage loan regulations for homes valued higher than KRW900 million and managing credit lending through debt service ratio.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Mar 06, 2020

FSC Vice Chairman Highlights Importance of Financial Cooperation in Response to COVID-19

FSC Vice Chairman Sohn Byungdoo participated in a conference call of the Financial Stability Board Steering Committee meeting on March 5, 2020. The steering committee meeting was held to assess the effects of COVID-19 on the financial markets around the world and to share policy responses by the member countries.The following is a summary of Vice Chairman Sohn’s remarks.The financial markets in Korea remain stable, despite some signs of volatility at the beginning of the outbreak, due to the prompt responses from the government and the efforts by other countries.In order to maintain stability in the markets, the Korean government has been focusing on the following – a) taking preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, b) drawing up financing support targeting the small merchants and SMEs hit by the virus outbreak as well as a supplementary budget to mitigate the economic impact of the virus, and c) strengthening market monitoring and establishing business continuity plans.Vice Chairman Sohn stated that an effective response will be difficult without close international cooperation, and called for a closer financial cooperation between countries through the FSB steering committee.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Mar 04, 2020

FSC Decides on Penalties for DLF Misselling Banks

The Financial Services Commission decided on the penalties to be imposed on Hana Bank and Woori Bank on March 4, 2020 for the misselling of derivatives-linked funds. The decision is based on the inspection results previously taken by the Financial Supervisory Service during last year.Hana Bank will be suspended from selling private equity funds for six months (from March 5 to September 4, 2020) and face a fine of KRW16.78 billion.Woori Bank will be suspended from selling private equity funds for six months (from March 5 to September 4, 2020) and face a fine of KRW19.71 billion.The disciplinary measures determined by the FSS for bank officials will be carried out by the FSS.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Mar 04, 2020

FSC Plans to Introduce Consumer Credit Bill to Enhance Financial Inclusiveness

The FSC announced on March 3, 2020 its plans to draft a bill on consumer credit and push for the enactment of the legislation within this year in order to enhance financial inclusiveness.The new legislation will replace the current Act on Registration of Credit Business, etc. and Protection of Finance Users. It will take essential provisions on the contents and procedures of loan contracts from the Credit Business Act, while establishing new regulations on delinquent debt management, termination of contracts, etc.BACKGROUNDUnder the current personal debt management system, it is extremely difficult for delinquent debtors to recover on their own while facing a risk of turning into long-term delinquent debtors.► Only about 14,000~17,000 delinquent debtors out of 26,000~28,000 every year are found to seek personal debt restructuring programs while many choose not to.► The burden of arrears and repayments as well as the pressure of debt collection cause disruptions and distress to daily lives.► The debt collection process heavily focuses on the performance of debt collection while overlooking issues related to consumer trust.KEY PROVISIONSThe improvement will focus on providing more safeguards for debtors and providing more chances to get back on their feet by modifying the structure that currently tolerates excessive debt collection practices.The government will work to establish a legal principle for a balanced approach to debt collection that takes into account not only debt collection performance but also consumer trust.I. PROVIDE TAILORED SUPPORT TO DEBTORS FOCUSING ON THEIR NEEDSEstablish a new debtors’ right through which they can request debt restructuring from financial institutions, which will help them find ways to get back on their feet and resume normal economic activities.► Delinquent debtors will have an option to request a debt restructuring program when facing diminished debt servicing capacity. Upon such a request, financial institutions will
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Feb 26, 2020

Government Supports Smooth Operation of Corporate AGMs amid COVID-19 Spread

The government announced supportive measures on February 26, 2020 to ensure the safe and smooth operation of companies’ annual general meetings (AGMs) as the spread of COVID-19 may delay the submission of financial statements, audit and annual reports by some companies operating subsidiaries in China.Under the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act and the External Audit Act, listed companies are required to submit (i) a financial statement to auditors no later than six weeks before the AGM; (ii) an audit report a week before the AGM; and (iii) an annual report within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year. If companies miss such deadlines, they may face administrative sanctions or penalties.Given that the outbreak of COVID-19 is an unexpected and unavoidable event for both companies and auditors, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) will grant an exemption from administrative sanctions for companies and auditors who satisfy the following conditions: (i) A company’s fiscal year ending on December 31, 2019; (ii) A company or an auditor must satisfy one of the followings:- COMPANY whose main operations (including subsidiaries) are based or conducted in China or domestic locations designated as “COVID-19 affected areas;” and whose financial statements or external audits were delayed by the outbreak of COVID-19 or disinfection measures- AUDITOR cannot complete an external audit for the fiscal year of 2019 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 or disinfection measures, such as closure of auditor’s office, etc. (iii) A company or an auditor is under ineluctable circumstances equivalent to (i), (ii). Companies or auditors should submit applications to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) or the Korean Institute of Certified Public Accountants (KICPA) from February 28 to March 18 to qualify for an exemption from administrative sanctions.The FSS and the KICPA will submit their reviews of application to the SFC, scheduled to be held at the end
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Feb 24, 2020

FSC Chairman Discusses Improvements to Supervision of Financial Conglomerates

FSC Chairman Eun Sung-soo held a meeting on February 24, 2020 with the CEOs of financial conglomerates and experts from the private sector to discuss ways to improve the supervision of financial conglomerates.The following is a summary of Chairman Eun’s remarks:The supervision of financial conglomerates is an effort to systematically manage group-wide risks of financial companies, which has become widely in use in advanced countries. This supervisory framework was first introduced in Korea in 2018 and has been operating for three years since. Based on our past experiences, the FSC plans to improve the supervisory framework in three areas.► Capital adequacy assessment: combine the currently distinct ‘risk concentration’ and ‘risk transfer’ categories into a single comprehensive framework for assessing capital adequacy requirements, and provide incentives for self-regulatory effort for risk management.► Disclosure rules: financial conglomerates shall gather required information from subsidiaries and provide group-wide disclosure of information on their financial statements, investment structures and risks in an easily understandable format.► Internal control requirements: financial conglomerates shall organize and operate an internal control system through which a group-wide consultative body can be introduced to facilitate discussion by compliance officers on group-wide internal control policy and other relevant issues.The FSC plans to take into consideration the opinions from today’s meeting for the revision of best practice guidelines on the supervision of financial conglomerates, which is expected to be finalized by April. The revised guidelines will go into effect in May this year.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Feb 12, 2020

Government to Support Educational Programs to Cultivate Digital Finance Specialists

The Financial Services Commission and the Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide KRW19 billion over a 4-year period (2020-2023) to launch educational programs aimed at cultivating more specialists in digital finance.Digital finance provides financial services using key innovations in information technology, such as big data and artificial intelligence. It has created new jobs and brought significant changes to how financial services are delivered.Due to rapidly accelerating digital transformation in the financial sector, the demand for more professionals working in digital finance has been rising.The degree and non-degree programs will offer advanced theory and practice courses on diverse areas, such as ‘IT deep learning,’ ‘big data crawling and text analysis,’ ‘cloud computing,’ ‘blockchain in finance,’ etc.The programs are targeted at the current financial industry workers, prospective fintech entrepreneurs, fintech professionals, and those who are preparing for financial sector jobs.The government will select an educational institution or a consortium in March to be designated as the digital finance education provider. Universities, research and/or other finance-related institutions are eligible to apply.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Feb 05, 2020

FSC Approves Kakao Pay to Become Largest Shareholder in Baro Investment & Securities

The Financial Services Commission approved on February 5, 2020 Kakao Pay’s shareholding qualifications to become the largest shareholder of Baro Investment Securities.Kakao Pay acquired a 60 percent stake in Baro Investment Securities and applied for shareholder qualifications on April 8 last year.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Jan 30, 2020

FSC to Introduce Coinsurance for Primary Insurers

FSC Vice Chairman Sohn Byungdoo presided over a meeting on improving the soundness of assets held by primary insurance companies on January 30, 2020.The measures to introduce coinsurance was discussed at the meeting to help insurance companies adjust or reduce debts in preparation for the implementation of the new accounting and solvency rules, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 17 and K-Insurance Capital Standard (K-ICS).The introduction of coinsurance is expected to help improve financial soundness of primary insurers as they are able to cede risks associated with insurance products to reinsurance companies.COINSURANCECoinsurance is a type of full-risk reinsurance through which primary insurers can transfer risks to reinsurers at premiums. Coinsurance is different from traditional reinsurance because it allows primary insurers to cede an entire block of risks including the investment portion and expense loading of the premium, instead of only the risk portion of the premium. Traditional reinsurance normally has a yearly renewable term whereas coinsurance offers longer term deals.EXPECTATIONI. Primary insurers with high interest rate products can cede risks associated with interest rate volatility or cancellation to reinsurers, thereby boosting their financial soundness.II. Issuing new capital stocks or subordinated debentures is an expansion of the available capital, whereas coinsurance is downsizing the required capital, which will offer a new solution for managing risk exposures for insurance companies.III. Coinsurance has been widely used in the European and the US insurance markets. The know-hows and asset management experiences of the overseas reinsurers will be useful.SPECIFIC PLANSTo introduce coinsurance, the government will make the following changes to the current regulations and rules on the supervision of insurance businesses – a) permit coinsurance, b) make accounting methods clearer, c) improve the risk-based capital ratio, and
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Jan 20, 2020

Government Prepares to Launch Asia Region Funds Passport in May

The government has revised the enforcement decree of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act and other relevant rules for the implementation of the Asia Region Funds Passport. The ARFP will be launched on May 27, 2020 after a 40-day of promulgation and screening of regulations.BACKGROUNDThe ARFP is a multilateral investment promotion initiative between the five member economies1 aimed at promoting cross-selling of publicly offered local funds in each other’s economies through standardized and streamlined registration process.The five member economies agreed to launch the ARFP at the APEC finance ministers’ meeting in September 2013. The members signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) in April 2016, and have worked on domestic legislative changes for the implementation.In November 2019, the Korean government completed the revision of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act, and has since worked on revising the relevant rules and regulations to reflect the details of the MOC.KEY PROVISIONS► REGISTRATION FOR LOCAL FUNDSPublicly offered local funds in Korea that meet the following requirements can apply to be registered as passport funds to be offered in overseas markets.► REGISTRATION FOR FOREIGN PASSPORT FUNDSForeign passport funds, by submitting registration statement, will be available for sale in Korea through a streamlined process.If an infringement of the MOC is found to have occurred by another member country, or the Korean funds face unfair sales restrictions overseas, the government may withdraw the privilege.Foreign passport funds sold in Korea will be subject to the same rules, regulations and investor protection measures as the local publicly offered funds.► REGULATION FOR INVESTOR PROTECTIONAll passport funds are subject to compliance audit regardless of the size of the fund. The fund managers are also required to report to both the home and the host countries about of the relevant information regarding funds,
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Jan 14, 2020

Vice Chairman Attends FSB Steering Committee Meeting in Basel

FSC ViceChairman Sohn Byungdoo attended the Financial Stability Board (FSB) steeringcommittee meeting held on January 13, 2020 in Basel, Switzerland.The steeringcommittee meeting was attended by the heads of central banks and financialregulatory bodies from 20 countries and 11 international organizations, such asthe International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank. The members helddiscussions on the risk assessment of non-bank financial institutions and waysto respond to risks associated with stablecoins.With regard to non-bankfinancial intermediaries, Vice Chairman Sohn stated that it is both timely andimportant to reassess the regulatory and supervisory framework of non-bankfinancial intermediaries given their size and global linkages. The recent trendof low interest rates may further aggravate risks in non-bank financialintermediaries due to a prevalent tendency toward high-risk, high-yield assets,Vice Chairman Sohn said.In this regard,the Korean government has been managing potential systemic risks in non-bankfinancial sectors by analyzing ‘activities’ and ‘entities’ separately, ViceChairman Sohn added.On regulatingstablecoins, the FSC agreed on the principle that a holistic approach to riskassessment should take place and that appropriate regulatory measures should beestablished prior to incorporating stablecoins in the global financial system.Considering the effects of stablecoins on monetary policy and anti-moneylaundering regime, the FSC reaffirmed the need to bolster cooperation withinternational organizations, such as the IMF and the Financial Action TaskForce.To preventregulatory arbitrage using stablecoins, Vice Chairman Sohn emphasized theimportance of increasing efforts for coordination between the developed anddeveloping countries.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Nov 29, 2019

Vice Chairman Attends 9th Korea-China-Japan High-level Finance Authorities Meeting

Vice Chairman Sohn Byungdoo attended the 9th Korea-China-Japan High-level Finance Authorities Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan on November 29, and discussed ways to enhance trilateral cooperation.During the meeting, the three countries shared information and exchanged views on the latest issues facing each country.Vice Chairman Sohn spoke about the Korean government’s innovation-led growth strategy and fintech policy through which it aims to develop new industries and create new markets. He introduced the government’s efforts to bring about digital transformation in the financial sector through policies, such as regulatory sandbox and internet-only banks.Vice Chairman Sohn also talked about recent trends and risk factors in the global financial markets, such as prolonged low interest rates, while emphasizing the importance of cooperation among financial authorities to improve the level of stability in the financial system.The three countries agreed to hold the meeting regularly and continue to maintain cooperation.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Nov 26, 2019

FSC Chairman Speaks on Importance of Innovation in Movable Asset-based Financing

FSC Chairman Eun Sung-soo visited a peer-to-peer lending firm Popfunding on November 26, and held talks on promoting innovative financial solutions through movable asset-based financing.During the talks, Chairman Eun stated that the traditional lending practice centered on real estate has begun to change due to government efforts to facilitate the development of financial products which recognize movables as collateral. Merely two years ago, movable asset-based financing remained unfamiliar. However, banks have set up a movable collateral management system using Internet-of-Things (IoT) as they led innovative initiatives in this field.As a result, the amount of movable asset-based loans rapidly increased from KRW735.5 billion at the end of last year to more than KRW1.2 trillion at the end of September 2019.Moreover, Chairman Eun emphasized that due to innovative ideas in movable asset-based financing, new solutions have emerged which would have been unlikely in the past. For instance, inventory as collateral has received relatively low attention compared to machinery or intellectual property due to difficulties in assessment and management. However, with movable asset-based financing, Popfunding began to offer e-commerce firms not only business loans at low to medium interest rates but also systematic inventory management and warehouse services.Chairman Eun said that more innovative solutions should be introduced in the field of movable asset-based financing in order to facilitate start-ups and SMEs.The government has announced a revision to the Act on Security over Movable Assets and Receivables on November 5, and plans to set up an organization that supports redemption of movable collateral in the first half of 2020.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Nov 19, 2019

Financial Cooperation in ASEAN Region

BACKGROUNDASEAN is a large market which has achieved remarkable economic growth with its growing population. The population of the region is expected to rise to around 688 million by 2024. In the financial sector, Korea and ASEAN countries have made an effort to establish strategic partnership to promote economic and financial growth in ASEAN region.Korea has focused on enhancing financial cooperation with ASEAN by supporting Korean companies’ business operation in the region and promoting partnership in developing financial infrastructure.FEATURES OF FINANCIAL COOPERATION IN ASEAN REGION I. EXPECTATIONS OF HIGH PROFITSAs ASEAN has high growth potential, many companies and institutions in the financial sector are willing to expand their business in the region. In fact, as of June, 2019, the number of subsidiaries and branches opened by Korean financial firms reached 150 in ASEAN region, including Indonesia and Vietnam, rose 92% compared to the end of 2011. The asset of overseas subsidiaries and branches in ASEAN region accounts for 14% of the total asset; however, the profits account for 30% of the total profits.Subsidiaries and branches of Korean banks in ASEAN region have higher Return on Asset (ROA) compared to the banks in domestic market.II. DIVERSIFICATION OF OVERSEAS BUSINESS Korean financial firms diversify their overseas business by establishing non-bank financial institutions and investing in shares of non-banking financial firms in the region.For example, Shinhan bank started banking business in ASEAN region, and then it expanded their business into other financial services, including credit card, financial investment and consumer finance. This strategy helped the financial firm to advance into new markets by creating synergy effects among affiliates. III. LOCALIZATION Korean financial firms accelerate their expansion by establishing more subsidiaries than offices or branches. In the process of localization, Korean financial firms tend to consider the e
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Nov 14, 2019

Government to Increase International Cooperation on Insurance Supervision

The Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service became signatories to the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) on November 14.The IAIS MMoU was established in 2007 as a nonbinding agreement with the aim of ensuring stability in the insurance industry and protecting consumers through mutual cooperation on information sharing. As of November 2019, 71 regulatory agencies from 49 countries have become members.The FSC and the FSS submitted membership applications to the IAIS MMoU in November 2018, and the applications have been approved in July this year.The government expects that the membership status will enhance international cooperation of information sharing on insurance market activities and boost global awareness of Korea’s insurance industry.* Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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Oct 31, 2019

Government Prepares to Launch Asia Region Funds Passport

The FSC’s proposal to revise the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act for the implementation of the Asia Region Funds Passport was passed at the National Assembly on October 31.The ARFP is a multilateral framework to support the development of an Asian region funds management industry by introducing streamlined processes for registering passport funds in each others’ economies.In September 2010, Australia first suggested the idea of the ARFP, and the five economies signed a memorandum of cooperation in April 2016. Australia, Thailand and Japan launched the passport in February and New Zealand in July this year.Publicly offered local funds can apply to be registered as a passport fund in Korea, and they will be eligible to offer them in other member economies.Foreign passport funds, which will be subject to local laws and regulations, can apply to offer their funds in Korea after a simplified registration process.The revised law will improve market access for both domestic fund managers looking to offer passport funds offshore and foreign fund managers wanting to offer passport funds in Korea. The government expects that the ARFP will help diversify portfolios for investors and increase competitiveness for fund managers.The revision to implement the ARFP will take effect six months after public announcement.
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Oct 29, 2019

Government to Strengthen Financial Cooperation with ASEAN and India

FSC Vice Chairman Sohn Byungdoo met with envoys from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries and India on October 28, and held talks on ways to further develop the financial industry in the region and increase cooperation.At the meeting, Vice Chairman Sohn Byungdoo said that the FSC will increase cooperation with financial authorities in the ASEAN countries, support establishment and operation of foreign financial firms in Korea, and work to boost cooperation on financial infrastructure development.Vice Chairman Sohn added that he hoped that Korea’s financial infrastructure and its advanced fintech industry will serve as a catalyst for improving financial inclusiveness and further integration of the ASEAN region.The meeting was held prior to the upcoming commemorative summit between Korea and ASEAN, which will be held on November 25-26 in Busan. The government expects that the next month’s special summit will serve as an opportunity to deepen relations between Korea and ASEAN, and pave the way for realizing President Moon Jae-in’s New Southern Policy.
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Jul 18, 2019

Special Judicial Police launched for Investigation of Unfair Trading Activities in Capital Markets

A special judicial police squad for investigation of unfair trading activities in capital markets was launched on July 18, 2019. The newly-created squad comprises 16 special judicial police officers - one FSC public official and 15 FSS employees, designated by the chief prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office on the recommendation by the FSC Chairman. The special judicial police will handle capital markets unfair trading cases under the command of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office, among those referred to the Prosecutors Office as fast-track cases designated by the Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). In order to ensure due process, the designated special judicial police officer should follow prosecutors directions in their overall duties including compulsory investigations. Upon the closure of an investigation, the Prosecutors Office will inform SFC Chairman of investigation results. * Please refer to the attached PDF for details.
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