[Reporter s Notebook] Financial watchdogs urged to modify customer protection regulation
Posted : 2021-05-26 16:46
Updated : 2021-05-26 16:55 Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo speaks during the opening ceremony of Korea Fintech Week 2021 in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
The nation s financial watchdogs are being urged to modify an ineffective set of regulations in the name of protecting the rights of customers.
The Financial Customer Protection Act took effect on March 25, as part of a step to protect customers from any possible risks of investing in risky financial products.
The purpose of the act looks persuasive at this time when most local banks and financial firms have been mired in a nationwide scandal over the mis-selling of certain derivatives and other risk-laden financial products, without having warned customers properly about their inherent risks.
Regulators pressed to apply measures amid crypto volatility
Posted : 2021-05-24 17:19
Updated : 2021-05-24 17:59
Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo speaks during his visit to a NongHyup Life Insurance service center in Seoul on April 29. Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
The Financial Services Commission s (FSS) lackluster attitude toward the handling of the burgeoning cryptocurrency market here is escalating the confusion felt by investors.
After FSC Chairman Eun Sung-soo shared his ultra-negative views of the booming digital currency market last month, the regulator remains taking a wait-and-see approach, without taking any concrete actions or sharing specific regulatory plans. This passive approach is due to fears that issuing any warnings without a detailed future policy roadmap will end up widening the volatility of major large-cap cryptocurrencies.
Posted : 2021-05-02 16:21
Updated : 2021-05-02 16:37
Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo attends a meeting with CEOs from financial institutions and securities firms here, at the Korea Exchange s Seoul office on April 15. Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
With the country set to resume some forms of short-selling after a 14-month ban, investors and stock market analysts said biotechnology stocks could be affected by the resumption.
From May 3, retail investors on either the KOSPI or the tech-savvy Kosdaq will be allowed to borrow shares. Despite the partial resumption, the financial authorities will decide later whether to allow the short-selling of other listed stocks.
Bitcoin prices plunge amid heightened warning from regulators
Posted : 2021-04-23 15:14
Updated : 2021-04-23 17:04
Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo speaks during a National Assembly meeting in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
The price of major cryptocurrencies in Korea are plunging amid a series of heightened warnings from regulators here. The Bitcoin price here stood at 50.06 million won ($50,000) as of 11 a.m. at Upbit, a Seoul-based cryptocurrency exchange, down 6.61 percent from a day earlier.
The price of the world s largest cryptocurrency soared to a record high of 80 million won in mid-April, but has since displayed a downward spiral.
Banking groups divided over internet banking services
Posted : 2021-04-14 16:05
Updated : 2021-04-14 21:30
Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo, left, speaks during a conference with leaders of associations in the nation s financial circle, at the headquarters of the Korea Federation of Banks in Seoul, on March 26. Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
Korea s major financial groups are divided internally over the possible launch of their own internet-only banking services amid fears that this may weaken their corporate identities just for the sake of jumping on the global bandwagon.
It has been only recently that discussions started picking up steam in financial circles after the Korea Federation of Banks (KFB) conducted a survey to figure out whether banking groups here were willing to start internet-only bank businesses if they get a license to do so.