FSC Korea Announces Fintech Updates and COVID-19 Measures
FSC Korea introduced a new tech financing guideline, which outlines details about the specific target business sectors and relevant procedures of tech financing. The guideline specifies tech financing procedures for small and medium enterprises, banks, technical credit bureaus, and Korea Credit Information Services. The guideline aims to promote independence of tech credit evaluation by prohibiting inappropriate activities by banks and technical credit bureaus while suggesting fair professional standards. The guideline became applicable from January 2021. However, the standardized tech credit evaluation model will be made available in the second half of 2021 after the completion of system development. Until now, five tech credit bureaus and ten banks have provided tech credit evaluation service using their own evaluation models.
In addition, Doh Kyu-sang, the Vice Chairman of FSC Korea, held the financial risk assessment meeting in January to review the progress of the COVID-19 financial support programs for small merchants and small and medium- size enterprises (SMEs). FSC Korea announced the availability of additional lending support for small merchants, including lower interest rates and guarantee fees for the second phase COVID-19 financial support program and the newly launched lending support of up to KRW 10 million for those hit by social gathering restrictions. From January 18, 2021, the second phase COVID-19 lending program for small merchants will be offered at an interest rate of maximum two percentage points lower than the previously offered levels. The banking sector agreed to lower interest rates for small merchant loans by one percentage point on December 29, 2020. In addition, KB Kookmin bank, Woori Bank, KEB Hana Bank, NH Bank, and Industrial Bank of Korea will offer an extra percentage point reduction in interest rates.
In yet another development, in December 2020, FSC Korea decided to grant preliminary MyData business licenses to twenty-one financial institutions, fintech firms, and electronic financial businesses, out of a total of thirty-five applicants. In January 2021, FSC Korea decided to grant preliminary MyData business licenses to seven more business entities: Viva Republica, Minwise Co, Coocon, Fintech Inc., Habit Factory, Standard Chartered Korea, and SK Planet. For Kakao Pay, the application review is still ongoing. FSC Korea plans to announce the final license approval results in late January. Aside from the approval process, the authorities are working on measures to strengthen consumer protection in MyData sector. The authorities plan to come up with a specific guideline in this regard in February 2021.
Related Links
- Tech Financing Guideline
- COVID-19 Financial Response Plan
- COVID-19 Lending Program
- MyData Business Licenses, January 2021
- MyData Business Licenses, December 2020
Keywords: Asia Pacific, Korea, Banking, COVID-19, Fintech, Credit Evaluation, SME, MyData, Credit Risk, FSC
Featured Experts
Victor Calanog, Ph.D.
Leading economist; commercial real estate; performance forecasting, econometric infrastructure; data modeling; credit risk modeling; portfolio assessment; custom commercial real estate analysis; thought leader.
Related Articles
EBA Publishes Regulatory Standards to Identify Shadow Banking Entities
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published the final draft regulatory technical standards specifying the criteria to identify shadow banking entities for the purposes of reporting large exposures.
EU Agencies Update LCR Rule and Macro-Prudential Policy Recommendation
The European Commission (EC) published the Delegated Regulation 2022/786 with regard to the liquidity coverage requirements for credit institutions under the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR).
OSFI Discusses Benchmark Rate Transition, Sets Out Work Priorities
The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) published the strategic plan for 2022-2025 and the departmental plan for 2022-23.
EBA Proposes Standards to Support Secondary NPL Markets
The European Banking Authority (EBA) is consulting, until August 31, 2022, on the draft implementing technical standards specifying requirements for the information that sellers of non-performing loans (NPLs) shall provide to prospective buyers.
EU Confirms Agreement on Rules on Cybersecurity and Banking Resolution
The European Council and the Parliament reached an agreement on the revised Directive on security of network and information systems (NIS2 Directive).
EBA Issues Standards for Crowdfunding Service Providers Under ECSPR
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published the final draft regulatory technical standards specifying information that crowdfunding service providers shall provide to investors on the calculation of credit scores and prices of crowdfunding offers.
EU to Amend Credit Risk Adjustment Rules; ESAs Submit Queries on SFDR
The European Council published a draft Commission Delegated Regulation to amend the regulatory technical standards on specification of the calculation of specific and general credit risk adjustments.
EU Confirms Agreement on Rules on Cybersecurity and Banking Resolution
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a paper that examines the systemic risk posed by increasing use of cloud services, along with the potential policy options to mitigate this risk.
MAS Amends Notice 635 and Issues Second Proposal on Green Taxonomy
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) published amendments to Notice 635, which sets out requirements that a bank in Singapore has to comply with when granting an unsecured non-card credit facility to individuals.
EC Consults on PSD2 and Open Finance; EU Reaches Agreement on DORA
The European Commission (EC) published a public consultation on the review of revised payment services directive (PSD2) and open finance.
