By Kang Yoon-seung
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s finance minister, Koo Yun‑cheol, on Friday outlined measures to stabilize financial markets amid rising interest‑rate pressures and heightened global volatility sparked by renewed Middle‑East tensions.
Koo Yun‑cheol reviewed recent developments in both global and domestic financial markets with key officials, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said.
The participants noted that upward pressure on interest rates persists, driven by increased government bond issuance worldwide and corporate bond sales from global artificial‑intelligence firms.
They also highlighted that rising crude‑oil prices linked to the Middle‑East tensions could amplify market volatility and pledged to monitor developments closely.
The government further committed to shielding vulnerable borrowers from rate hikes, emphasizing that while conditions are currently manageable, they could worsen if rates climb sharply.
The officials also reviewed progress on reforms for the tech‑focused KOSDAQ market, where the government had planned to increase the minimum market‑capitalization threshold for continued listing from 20 billion won (≈US$15 million) to 30 billion won beginning in January.
They decided to postpone the new threshold’s implementation for six months, to July of next year, to allow the market time to recover from recent volatility.
Firms that satisfy specified financial criteria will also be able to shift their listings from KOSDAQ to the small‑business‑oriented Korea New Exchange (KONEX) without a liquidation trading period, easing the impact of delisting.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol speaks during a meeting with financial officials in Seoul on Sept. 4, 2026, in this photo released by the Ministry of Finance and Economy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
