[South Korea Tightens Online Stock Loans, Maximum Limit of 1 Billion Won Per Borrower] Odaily Planet Daily News – With the recent continuous rise in South Korea's stock market, the stock loan business of online investment-related financial companies has rapidly expanded, prompting financial regulators to step in and strengthen controls, including setting a maximum stock loan limit of 1 billion won per individual borrower. Data released by the South Korean Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service on August 15 shows that as of the end of June, the balance of stock loans in the online investment-related financial sector reached 898.3 billion won, an increase of 374.5 billion won compared to the first half of the year. This marks a 71.5% surge compared to the 351.3 billion won at the end of last year. In response, the Financial Supervisory Service will issue management targets to online investment financial companies, requiring that the monthly increase in stock loan volume not exceed 30% of the previous month's increase in related loans. This new management measure will take effect immediately on August 16. Additionally, to prevent online investment financial companies from excessively concentrating on stock loan businesses and accumulating risks, regulators have stipulated that the stock loan limit for a single borrower should not exceed 1 billion won in principle. However, companies that can maintain their end-of-month stock loan balance from July onwards at the same level as the balance at the end of June will be granted exemptions. (Jin10)