Journalist

Kim Pil-soo
  • Toss Bank Launches E-Braille Service for Visually Impaired Customers
    Toss Bank Launches E-Braille Service for Visually Impaired Customers Toss Bank said on the 20th it will introduce an e-braille service, the first by a South Korean internet-only bank, to improve access to financial information for customers who are visually impaired. The service will initially apply to frequently issued bankbook copies and will later expand to a broader range of financial and certification documents. The e-braille service automatically converts financial documents issued on mobile devices into braille files. Customers can review the contents on their own using assistive devices such as braille information terminals, without needing help from others. The bank said the feature is designed to make numbers, account details, tables and other information clearer than audio guidance alone. Toss Bank said it developed its own e-braille conversion logic and solution for the rollout, focusing on improving accessibility across the full process of using its services. It also improved the screen-reader user experience throughout the bankbook-copy issuance process to make the service easier to use for visually impaired customers. The service is available in the Toss Bank app through the menu for issuing a bankbook copy (account-opening confirmation). The bank said it will review real-world usability and reflect customer feedback as it works to strengthen accessibility for more financial and certification documents. A Toss Bank official said, "It is meaningful to be able to introduce a service that improves financial access for visually impaired customers to mark the Day of Persons with Disabilities," adding, "We will continue to strengthen accessibility so that anyone can use financial services without discrimination, without missing even small customer feedback."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-20 09:21:00
  • Korean Banks’ Loan Delinquency Rate Hits 0.62% in February, Highest in 9 Months
    Korean Banks’ Loan Delinquency Rate Hits 0.62% in February, Highest in 9 Months Domestic banks’ loan delinquency rate rose in February to its highest level in nine months, as economic growth slowed and uncertainty at home and abroad increased. The Financial Supervisory Service said Friday that as of the end of February, the delinquency rate on won-denominated loans at domestic banks — based on principal and interest overdue by at least one month — stood at 0.62%, up 0.06 percentage point from 0.56% a month earlier. It was the highest since May last year, when it was 0.64%. New delinquencies totaled 3 trillion won in February, up 200 billion won from 2.8 trillion won the previous month. Over the same period, the amount of delinquent loans resolved held steady at about 1.3 trillion won. The new delinquency rate edged up to 0.12% from 0.11%. Household loan delinquencies rose to 0.45%, up 0.03 percentage point. Delinquencies on home mortgage loans increased 0.02 percentage point to 0.31%, while household loans excluding mortgages — including credit loans — climbed 0.06 percentage point to 0.90%. Corporate loan delinquencies rose to 0.76% from 0.67%. Delinquencies on loans to large companies increased 0.06 percentage point to 0.19%, and those to small and midsize firms rose 0.10 percentage point to 0.92%. The watchdog said delinquency rates are rising, particularly among smaller corporations, and warned the uptrend could continue amid domestic and external uncertainties. It said it will push banks to strengthen asset-quality management by setting aside sufficient loan-loss reserves and stepping up efforts such as selling delinquent loans to clean up their balance sheets.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-17 09:05:08
  • KakaoBank Launches Project Again, Spring to Help Youth in Financial Crisis
    KakaoBank Launches 'Project Again, Spring' to Help Youth in Financial Crisis KakaoBank said April 16 it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Together Making a World (Social Solidarity Bank) and the Credit Recovery Committee to run “Project Again, Spring,” a program aimed at helping young people in financial crisis become self-reliant. The program targets people ages 19 to 39 who have difficulty using financial services or are undergoing debt restructuring, helping them rebuild credit and re-enter the formal financial system. KakaoBank first launched the project last year by donating 1 billion won to the Social Solidarity Bank to create a fund to support youth in financial distress. Under this year’s agreement, the Social Solidarity Bank will use KakaoBank’s donation to offer ultra-low-interest loans at an annual rate of 1%: living-expense loans of up to 3 million won and refinancing loans for high-interest debt of up to 5 million won. It will also provide financial checkups and financial education. The Credit Recovery Committee will identify and connect young people who need support. A KakaoBank official said the bank wants to help young people facing economic hardship “find hope again and stand on their own,” adding it will continue to pursue inclusive finance for vulnerable groups.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 09:21:00
  • Toss Signs MOU With Korea Franchise Association to Expand FacePay
    Toss Signs MOU With Korea Franchise Association to Expand FacePay Viva Republica, the operator of Toss, is moving to expand use of its FacePay service. Toss said on 15일 it signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the Korea Franchise Industry Association. Under the agreement, the two sides plan to roll out Toss’ facial-recognition payment service, FacePay, across franchise stores. The association will support adoption among its member companies, while Toss will provide the payment infrastructure and technology. FacePay is a simple payment service that allows customers to pay using facial authentication. It can be used without a separate card or smartphone and can reduce repetitive tasks caused by store staff operating point-of-sale systems. “FacePay is not just a convenient payment method, but an innovative tool that makes franchise owners’ daily lives easier,” Toss Vice President Kim Gyu-ha said. “Through cooperation with the Korea Franchise Association, we will work together so more small business owners can improve the payment experience.” Na Myeong-seok, chairman of the Korea Franchise Industry Association, said the agreement will make it easier for member companies to adopt new payment technology. He said the association will actively support franchise owners so they can run stores more easily and conveniently.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-15 08:36:25
  • KakaoBank, Busan Bank sign MOU for joint lending to small businesses
    KakaoBank, Busan Bank sign MOU for joint lending to small businesses KakaoBank and Busan Bank are teaming up to boost regional economic activity and expand financial support. KakaoBank said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Busan Bank on April 13 at Busan Bank’s headquarters to pursue a joint lending program for small and midsize businesses. Under the agreement, the two lenders will work on launching joint loan products for small businesses and sole proprietors, expanding financing support and rolling out related financial services. They said the effort is aimed at improving local companies’ access to funding and strengthening “productive financing.” KakaoBank plans to combine its platform reach, built on 27 million customers, and digital technology with Busan Bank’s regional corporate-finance infrastructure, creating a cooperation model in which an internet-only bank and a regional bank grow together. “This agreement will be an example of broadening the inclusiveness of regional finance and contributing to the expansion of productive financing,” KakaoBank CEO Yoon Ho-young said. “We will work in mutual growth with the regional economy based on technology and data.” Busan Bank CEO Kim Seong-ju said the bank will continue expanding digital-based financial services for sole proprietors and small and midsize businesses.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-14 09:12:00
  • Toss Bank Issues 130,000 K-Pass Debit Cards in First Month
    Toss Bank Issues 130,000 K-Pass Debit Cards in First Month Toss Bank said April 8 it has issued about 130,000 K-Pass debit cards in the month since the product launched. That works out to about three cards a minute, or roughly 4,100 a day. The K-Pass debit card was introduced to help ease public transit costs. In addition to standard refund benefits, it offers an extra 2,000 won in cash back when monthly public transit spending reaches at least 40,000 won. Customers can receive the benefit regardless of the prior month’s spending, as long as they meet the transit-spending threshold. Toss Bank attributed the early demand to the card’s benefit structure and a simplified user experience. The bank said K-Pass sign-up and card linking can be completed in the Toss app in one process, reducing steps for users. Among customers who received the debit card and linked it to K-Pass, about 94% registered through the Toss app, the bank said. By age group, people in their 20s accounted for the largest share at 42.6%. They were followed by those in their 30s and 40s at 14.2% each, people in their 50s at 12.2%, teens at 11.7% and those 60 and older at 5.1%. “The K-Pass debit card is designed so everyday travel turns into benefits,” a Toss Bank official said. The official said the bank believes customers responded positively to the straightforward benefits, the ease of use and a structure that also connects to the community.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-08 09:45:00
  • S.Korea civil service exam attendance slips to 75 percent, competition intensifies
    S.Korea civil service exam attendance slips to 75 percent, competition intensifies SEOUL, April 04 (AJP) - The attendance rate for South Korea's national Grade 9 civil service written exam edged down to 75 percent this year, while overall competition continued to climb, the government said Saturday. Out of 108,578 eligible applicants, 81,479 took the 2026 exam held across 17 cities and provinces, according to the Ministry of Personnel Management. The 75 percent turnout marks a slight decrease from 75.2 percent last year and 75.8 percent in 2024. Despite the lower attendance, competition for the entry-level government positions rose to 28.6 applicants per opening, extending an upward trend from the previous year. 2026-04-04 17:56:46
  • BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ Tops Spotify Weekly Global Charts for Second Straight Week
    BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ Tops Spotify Weekly Global Charts for Second Straight Week BTS’ new release, “ARIRANG,” held the top spot on Spotify for a second consecutive week. Spotify’s latest weekly charts covering March 27 to April 2 showed BTS again leading the global rankings for Weekly Top Albums, Weekly Top Songs and Weekly Top Artists. The group also ranked No. 1 for 14 straight days, from March 20 through April 2, on the Daily Top Artists Global and Daily Top Songs Global charts. According to the group’s agency, the title track “SWIM” also topped YouTube Music’s weekly charts, ranking No. 1 on both the global and U.S. Weekly Top Songs lists with about 83 million and 6.2 million weekly streams, respectively. BTS also posted strong results on major charts in Europe and Australia. Australia’s ARIA charts released April 3 showed “ARIRANG” again at No. 1 on the Top 50 Albums chart, marking a second straight week at the top. On Germany’s official music charts, “ARIRANG” and “SWIM” placed No. 2 on the albums chart and No. 3 on the singles chart. In France, the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (SNEP) Top Albums chart listed “ARIRANG” at No. 2.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-04 11:21:15
  • Macron Visits Pompidou Center Hanwha in Seoul, Calls It a Bridge Between France and Korea
    Macron Visits Pompidou Center Hanwha in Seoul, Calls It a Bridge Between France and Korea Hanwha Foundation said Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron visited Pompidou Center Hanwha in Seoul’s Yeouido district on Thursday during his state visit to South Korea. The visit was arranged to highlight cultural cooperation between the two countries ahead of the museum’s planned opening in June, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and France. Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, toured major areas of the museum with Catherine Pégard, France’s minister of culture; Philippe Bertoux, France’s ambassador to South Korea; and Laurent Le Bon, president of the Pompidou Center, along with other French government and cultural figures. They were joined by Lee Seong-su, chairman of the Hanwha Foundation, and Kim Dong-won, CEO of Hanwha Life. Pompidou Center Hanwha was created by remodeling an annex of the 63 Building in Yeouido. It was designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and built as a four-story museum with a total area of 11,000 square meters. Macron also met with South Korean artists, including internationally recognized figures Kimsooja and Lee Bae, as well as emerging artists such as Kim Heecheon and Yoo Jun-young. “Pompidou Center Hanwha will serve as a bridge between France and Korea and become a platform that leads dialogue between the art communities of both countries,” Macron said. He added that he hoped the two sides would expand artist exchanges and residency programs to build a closer creative partnership. Lee said the visit “once again confirms the meaning of cooperation the two countries have built through culture and the arts” as they mark 140 years of diplomatic ties. He said Pompidou Center Hanwha will work as a cultural platform linking South Korea and France and will broaden international cultural exchanges through a range of programs.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-04 09:54:17
  • Woori Bank to Turn Branch Idle Space Into Community Platform With Goodwill Store
    Woori Bank to Turn Branch Idle Space Into Community Platform With Goodwill Store Woori Bank said Thursday it will convert idle space at branches nationwide into a social-contribution platform aimed at supporting local communities. As some branches scale back operations, the bank will bring in Goodwill Store outlets that sell donated goods. The pilot “Goodwill Branch Yeoju” has continued to provide essential financial services for local residents while also creating jobs for vulnerable groups and encouraging local donations, the bank said. Woori Bank said it plans to expand various community-focused branch models tailored to local conditions and welfare needs. It said the effort will center on three goals: improving access to financial services, supporting vulnerable groups and strengthening ties with local communities. “Finance has a public function and should grow together with local communities, beyond simply providing services,” Shin Young-cheol, head of Woori Bank’s social contribution department, said. He said using idle space would allow customers to access banking services nearby while communities benefit from jobs and welfare support.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-03 11:03:00