Financial regulator to keep tighter household loan rules in place in bid to rein in debt

The country's financial regulator said Thursday that it will continue its efforts to rein in household debt this year and help stabilize financial markets, adding it will continue to keep in place tightened rules on household loans.

In a policy report to a parliamentary committee, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) said it will maintain its current policies aimed at curbing households whose growth has recently slowed.

Household loans extended by Korean banks fell for the first time in 11 months in December, apparently due to the tightened lending regulations aimed at cooling the overheated property market in the capital region.

Outstanding household loans at banks stood at 1,173.6 trillion won ($794.7 billion) as of end-December, down 2.2 trillion won from a month earlier.

The FSC said it will accelerate its efforts to foster productive finance and inclusive finance.

The regulator will also draw up a road map to regain trust for the tech-laden Kosdaq market by removing financially ailing companies quickly and lowering barriers for market entry, it added.

Yonhap