
Choi calls for thorough preparation ahead of stock short selling resumption
Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Friday ordered thorough preparations for the resumption of stock short selling next month, pledging sufficient communication with market participants.
South Korea imposed a temporary ban on stock short selling in November 2023 after uncovering a series of naked short selling violations involving several global investment banks. The practice is set to resume on March 31.
During a regular economic meeting attended by the Bank of Korea governor, and the heads of the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, Choi emphasized the need for "sufficient communication with the market to ensure a smooth transition."
He also urged officials to thoroughly implement follow-up measures, including the development of a monitoring platform designed to detect illegal transactions.
Choi also reiterated his hope for bipartisan cooperation in passing a revision to the law aimed at strengthening protection for minority shareholders.
The proposed revision to the Capital Market Act requires a company's board of directors to safeguard shareholders' rights in cases of mergers and acquisitions, corporate split-offs, share swaps and asset transfers. (Yonhap)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Korea Herald
8 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Political uncertainty falls below pre-martial law levels: BOK
The level of political uncertainty in South Korea has returned to levels seen prior to the martial law incident, following the recent presidential election, the central bank said Friday. According to data submitted by the Bank of Korea to Rep. Cha Gyu-geun of the Rebuilding Korea Party, the political uncertainty index stood at 1.5 as of June 4, the day after the election, in which Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung defeated conservative rival Kim Moon-soo. The index, which had been around 0.4 in early December, spiked to a record high of 12.8 in mid-December, following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's surprising declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. Though the index rose slightly above 1 after the election, the BOK noted that such minor fluctuations are common in normal times and should not be interpreted as meaningful. The index is compiled by the BOK's research department by tallying the number of media articles that include both the keywords "politics" and "uncertainty" in their headlines or main text. It reflects relative values, with the long-term average from the beginning of 2000 set at zero, the BOK said. The previous record high was 8.8, recorded on March 17, 2004, following the passage of the impeachment motion against the late former President Roh Moo-hyun. The economic uncertainty index also fell to 1.2 as of June 4, a level similar to the 1.1 recorded on Dec. 3. The index had surged to 5.4 on Jan. 2 but gradually declined, reaching as low as 0.5 on May 15, the BOK said. "The political uncertainty that has weighed on the economy over the past six months is expected to ease significantly," BOK Gov. Rhee Chang-yong said at a press briefing last week. "Political factors are no longer having a meaningful impact on the won-dollar exchange rate." The Korean won had weakened sharply earlier this year, nearing 1,500 won per US dollar, largely due to the domestic political turmoil and concerns over the sweeping tariff measures under US President Donald Trump's administration. But it rebounded to its strongest level in about seven months Thursday, closing at 1,358.4 won per dollar. (Yonhap)


Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Georgia wants more Korean visitors, companies
'Guests are God's gift for Georgians' Georgia wants more Korean tourists and businesses, said Maia Omiadze, head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, in an interaction with The Korea Herald on Wednesday. Omiadze is in Seoul leading a high-level Georgian delegation to South Korea from June 3 to June 9. She says that tourism is not just economic activity for Georgia, but also a point of cultural pride. 'A guest is a gift from God in Georgia,' she said, quoting a Georgian saying. 'We treat tourists not just as business opportunities, but as honored guests.' 'My personal feeling toward Korea has always been very warm. When I studied in New York City, I had a very good friend from Seoul, and from that time, I fell in love with Korea.' Despite the lack of direct flights, Georgia saw a remarkable 72 percent rise in Korean tourist arrivals in 2023, reaching 27,000 visitors. 'That's a positive trend,' she noted. 'We are in a recovery phase post-COVID, and the Asian market — especially Korea — is strategic for us.' During her meeting with Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young, the administration and the media group discussed how to expand tourism and business ties. 'The way you (Koreans) make kimchi — in underground vessels — is similar to how we make wine. Both were recognized by UNESCO in the same year, in 2013, at the Intergovernmental Meeting in Baku. That connection is very special.' 'Georgia is a hidden gem,' Omiadze said, listing adventure, ecotourism, hiking and wine as some of her country's top draws. 'We know Korean tourists prioritize these experiences, and Georgia is the perfect destination in Eastern Europe for that,' she said. Choi expressed optimism for increased people-to-people ties through tourism. 'Many Koreans have not yet visited Georgia — this is where the potential lies,' said Choi, referring to Korea's evolving outbound travel patterns. 'The more exchanges we have, the more productive it will be,' said Choi, before also mentioning an impending free trade agreement that he believes will expand economic ties and open doors for Korean companies across sectors. Echoing Omiadze, Georgian Ambassador to Korea Tarash Papaskua pointed out that Georgian tourism is nearly 10 percent of its gross domestic product, and before COVID-19, "we welcomed 9.7 million tourists — almost triple our population.' Papaskua also added hope for direct flights and deeper partnerships with Korean travel agencies to follow successful charter operations like those by Hanjin Travel. sanjaykumar@


Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea's economy shrinks 0.2 pct in Q1, unchanged from earlier estimate: BOK
The South Korean economy contracted 0.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, unchanged from an earlier estimate, central bank data showed Thursday, due mainly to a domestic political crisis and uncertainties stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's aggressive tariff scheme. The country's real gross domestic product (GDP) -- a key measure of economic growth -- contracted 0.2 percent in the January-March period from three months earlier, which marked the first negative growth in nine months, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The South Korean economy had expanded 1.3 percent in the first quarter of 2024 but slipped into contraction in the second quarter with a 0.2 percent decline before posting 0.1 percent growth in both the third and fourth quarters. The negative growth came as former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law on Dec. 3 and the subsequent political chaos dampened domestic demand. The U.S.' sweeping tariff scheme has also affected the trade-dependent South Korean economy. Trump announced reciprocal tariffs, including a 25 percent levy on South Korean goods, though implementation was later postponed for 90 days. Trade negotiations are currently under way between South Korea and the United States, with the two sides aiming to reach a "package" agreement on trade and related issues by July 8, when the 90-day suspension of U.S. tariffs will end. Last week, the central bank sharply lowered its outlook for South Korea's economic growth this year to 0.8 percent from its previous forecast of 1.5 percent, citing sagging consumption and slowing export growth amid uncertainties stemming from Washington's tariff measures. (Yonhap)