On Sept. 14, 2012, Standard and Poor’s Rating Services upgraded Korea’s sovereign credit rating from ‘A’ to ‘A+’. The outlook is ‘stable.’ S&P had upgraded Korea’s credit rating from ‘A-’ to ‘A’ in May 2007, where it had remained until today’s upgrade. With S&P’s credit rating…

Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance Co. has rapidly shifted its strategy from tight internal management to policies for expanding its market share due to Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s concern for its falling market share in recent years. According to financial authorities and industry sources, Samsung …

Korea Life Insurance Co., which was taken over by Hanwha Group, is on the verge of changing its name to Hanwha Life Insurance Co. in the fall if the change is approved at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting, industry sources said recently.The board of the life insurance company already agreed to the…

Samsung Life Insurance Co. introduced life insurance products that guarantee reimbursement for any sickness and accidental death until the age of 100, dubbed “Love 100 Years Guarantee Insurance,” the company said on July 10.The new life insurance policy guarantees the policyholder payment against …

President Hwang Sung-ho of Woori Investment and Securities Co. said a blue ocean market has opened for the securities industry with the arrival of the mobile market. “We have been doing our best to provide the best service in the mobile trading system (MTS) area through the development of reformati…

The Industrial Bank of Korea observed its 51st anniversary on Aug. 1 at a ceremony held at its head office in Euljiro, downtown Seoul, with over 400 officers and staff in attendance, led by President Cho Joon-hee. President Cho, in his congratulatory speech, said 51 years is a long time when looking…

Hana Financial Group has successfully taken over Broadway National Bank (BNB) Financial Services Corp. run by Korean-Americans, which owns BNB Bank in New York, by securing a 71 percent stake in the holding company on July 21, the group said recently.Hana and BNB Corp. signed an agreement in New Yor…

President Kim Sun-kyu of Korea Housing Guarantee Co., in a recent interview with NewsWorld, talked about the company’s grand plan to support the growth of the national economy by helping SMEs advance overseas as well as creating jobs in Korea. The CEO said he will steer the company to support the l…

President Lee Kang-tae of BC Card said he will take up a campaign that will give the highest value to the company’ s employees through the convergence of finance and communication during his inaugural speech on Aug. 6 at the company’ s conference room.In his speech at the ceremony, which was rathe…