-
Jun 26, 2013
- Plan for Privatization of Woori Finance Holdings
- BACKGROUNDThe Public Funds Oversight Committee (PFOC) announced the privatization plan for Woori Finance Holdings after its 78th meeting on June 26, 2013. The Committee members shared common opinion that prompt privatization of Woori Finance Holdings is crucial for recovering the injected public fund and establishing a firm foundation to strengthen our financial industry’s competitiveness. The plan was devised based on the recent market conditions and investment climate.GENERAL PLAN1. General DirectionThe government will sell subsidiary units of Woori Finance Holdings in separate deals to better serve market demands. The 14 subsidiaries of Woori Finance Holdings will be split into three groups for sale. The sale process of each group will be proceeded by the KDIC or Woori Finance Holdings. To facilitate the sale process, the government will simultaneously proceed with the spinoff/merger and the sale process.2. Detailed PlanA. (Regional bank unit) The government will spinoff Woori Finance Holdings to set up Kyongnam Finance Holdings and Kwangju Finance Holdings. The two regional banks, Kyungnam Bank and Kwangju Bank, will be merged with their respective holding companies for sale. The KDIC will sell its 56.7% stake in the two regional banks.B. (Brokerage unit) Sale of Woori Finance Holding’s stake in Woori Investment Securities Co.3, Woori FI, and Woori Financial Group will be initiated concurrently with the sale of regional bank unit.C. (Woori bank unit) Woori Bank will be merged with the remaining Woori Finance Holdings and sold by the KDIC as a bank. Such procedure will be initiated after completing regional bank units’ spinoff and deciding the final bidder of brokerage unit. Minimum bidding level will be decided later with market conditions upon initiation of Woori Finance Holdings’ sale process taken into consideration.* Woori Credit Card, Woori Private Equity Co., Woori FIS Co., Kumho Investment Bank, Woori Finance Research Institute and unsold subsidia
-
Jun 24, 2013
- Regulations on Financial Institutions' Outsourcing of Data Processing Business and IT Facilities
- BACKGROUNDThe FSC approved the proposed legislation of ‘Regulations on Financial Institutions’ Outsourcing of Data Processing Business and IT Facilities’ on June 19, 2013. The legislation is to establish detailed regulations in accordance with Korea’s free trade agreements (FTAs) with the US and the EU on the cross-border transfer of financial information required in the ordinary course of business of financial institutions, while reflecting a global trend that financial firms are increasingly outsourcing their data processing business and IT facilities.MAJOR CONTENTS1. Scope and procedure of outsourcingA financial institution is permitted to outsource data processing business “required in the ordinary course of business” to a third party, domestic or overseas. In case a financial institution intends to outsource data processing business to an overseas company only its head office, branches, and affiliates subordinated to such financial institution are permitted to do so as a means to ensure consumer protection and financial regulators’ access to records of financial institutions relating to the handling of information.In principle, the outsourced company, domestic or overseas, is prohibited to extend the contract to another subcontractor.If related laws prohibit outsourcing, or if a financial institution has punitive records under related laws, the financial firm is forbidden to outsource data processing to a third party.Financial institutions are mandated to apply the provisions of standard form contract when signing an outsourcing contract with a third party to ensure consumer protection and financial regulators’ access to records of financial institutions relating to the handling of information.A financial institution is obliged to report the FSS governor in advance to outsourcing data processing business.2. Protection of data outsourced to a third partyIn regard with outsourcing data processing, all protective measures must be ensured under rele
-
Jun 18, 2013
-
Jun 14, 2013
- Revision to Enforcement Decree of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act (FSCMA)
- BACKGROUNDThe revised Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act (FSCMA) was promulgated in May 28, 2013, which includes vitalizing investment banking (IB) business, introducing alternative trading systems (ATSs), and amending the current regulatory framework of asset management businesses.In line with the revision to the FSCMA, the FSC plans to revise the Enforcement Decree of the FSCMA to stipulate specific terms on matters delegated by the Act and further improve the current capital markets system.KEY CONTENTS1. Stimulate investment banking (IB) business(Requirements to be registered as an IB) A securities firm will be required to hold equity capital worth KRW 3 trillion or more and have the mechanism of risk management and internal control.(Prime brokerage service) The scope of customers with whom IBs can provide prime brokerage service will be expanded to financial companies, pension funds, overseas hedge funds as well as Korea-based hedge funds stipulated in the revised Act.(Credit extension for companies) The Enforcement decree specifies the scope of credit extension that IBs can provide companies as loans, payment guarantee, and bill discount. It also details types of credit extension exempted from the rule which limits a total amount of credit extension by an IB not to exceed its equity capital.2. Improve capital market infrastructure(Introduction of ATS) To be registered as an ATS, a securities firm will be required to hold equity capital worth KRW 20 billion or more. The Enforcement Decree specifies types of products that can be traded through ATSs as stock certificates and depository receipts (DR).ATSs will be subject to the same rules applied to exchanges in regard with measures on market surveillance and market stabilization such as daily price limit or trading halt, while it will be granted greater autonomy and flexibility in regard with trading business.Securities firms, however, can execute customers’ orders as customers want if there w
-
Jun 12, 2013
-
May 31, 2013
- Basel III Capital Regulations to be Implemented from December 2013
- BACKGROUNDKorea has already finalized preparation of relevant rules for the implementation of Basel III. However, authorities postponed the initially scheduled date for implementation (Jan.1, 2013) considering the uncertainty of adoption status of other member countries and decided to adjust Basel III implementation schedule after closely monitoring the progress of other member countries.CURRENT TRENDAs of April, 23 among 27 Basel Committee on Banking Supervision member countries finalized the implementation schedule. Basel III implementation Schedule (as of April 30, 2013) Region Implementation Schedule Member Countries Asia Not finalized(2) Korea, Indonesia Finalized(7) Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Australia Europe Not finalized(1) Turkey Finalized(11) Switzerland, Russia, EU(UK, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Spain, Sweden) Americas, Africa Not finalized(1) USA Finalized(5) Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina IMPLEMENTATION OF BASEL IIIThe FSC, in close coordination with the MOSF, FSS, BOK, and other relevant authorities, came to a decision to implement Basel III on December 1, 2013. The decision was made as major Asian economies have already implemented Basel III capital regulations in 2013 and the banking industry requires time to prepare for the adoption.EXPECTED EFFECTSThe Basel III regulation to take effect this year will be limited to bank capital requirements. Since the capital of most domestic banks consists of common equity, the impact of Basel III capital regulations will not be significant unlike banks in the US and Europe.FUTURE PLANThe authorities will gather additional opinions on the revisions to the ‘Regulation on Supervision of Banking Institutions’ and ‘Enforcement Rules for Banking Supervision’ from May 31 to June 19, 2013. Final decision will be made by the FSC in June.Basel I, II, III Comparison Region Implementation Schedule Member Countries Asia Not finalized(2) Korea
-
May 24, 2013
-
May 21, 2013
-
May 10, 2013
-
Apr 18, 2013
-
Apr 03, 2013
-
Mar 25, 2013
-
Mar 21, 2013
-
Mar 08, 2013
-
Mar 04, 2013
-
Feb 28, 2013
-
Feb 26, 2013
-
Feb 12, 2013
-
Jan 29, 2013
-
Dec 21, 2012
- Implementation Plan for Basel III
- GLOBAL TRENDS IN BASEL III IMPLEMENTATIONOut of 27 BCBS members, 11 countries have published the final set of Base III regulations effective s from January 2013 as initially scheduled, while 15 members including 9 EU countries and Korea have issued draft regulations for Basel III implementation. Turkey will unveil draft regulations in early 2013. Implementation No. of countries Countries status Draft not yet 1 Turkey announced Draft announced 15 Korea, Indonesia, EU (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden), Russia, Brazil, Argentina, USA Implementation 11 Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Australia, plan finalized Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, South Africa The US already announced on November 9, 2012 that it would be difficult to implement BaselIII starting January 2013 as initially agreed. The EU has not yet reached an agreement to finalize the implementation plan for Basel III.With such global situations taken into account, the BCBS announced in its press release on December 14, 2012 that “it is expected that as remaining jurisdictions finalize their domestic regulations during 2013, they will incorporate all the remaining transitional deadlines in line with the original global agreement, even where they have not been able to meet the 1 January 2013 start date.”DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION PLANKorea has been preparing for Basel III implementation from early 2011 and now almost completed its preparatory work for implementing Basel III starting January 2013.1However, there is a need to reflect global trends in setting a timeline for domestic implementation of Basel III.Therefore, the FSC will set a specific timeline for domestic implementation after closely monitoring progress on Basel III implementation in other countries, while maintaining our basic principle to apply Basel III to domestic banks and bank holding companies.*Please read the attached file for details.