{"id":3840,"date":"2026-03-23T10:20:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T10:20:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/03\/23\/south-korean-banks-tighten-corporate-guarantees-amid-risks-upi-com\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T10:20:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T10:20:06","slug":"south-korean-banks-tighten-corporate-guarantees-amid-risks-upi-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/2026\/03\/23\/south-korean-banks-tighten-corporate-guarantees-amid-risks-upi-com\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korean banks tighten corporate guarantees amid risks &#8211; upi.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<br \/>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"> \t\t\tarticle ul\tli { list-style: disc; padding: 5px 0; } \t\t<\/style>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom: 15px;\"> \t\t\t<script type=\"module\" crossorigin data-ll=\"1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/instaread.co\/js\/instaread.player.js\"><\/script> \t\t\t<instaread-player publication=\"upi\"><\/instaread-player> \t\t<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<article itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p><span class=\"story_dl\">March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212;<\/span> South Korea&#8217;s four largest banks are tightening corporate payment guarantees as exporters face mounting pressure from U.S. tariffs and a prolonged period of high exchange rates.<\/p>\n<p>The combined value of guarantees issued by KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank and Woori Bank reached 79.2 trillion won (about $59 billion) at the end of last year, up 3.9% from a year earlier, according to financial industry data. <\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-5 text-center mb-5\">\n<div class=\"upi-ad-unit\">\n<div class=\"upi-content\" style=\"margin: 0 auto;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The increase marks a sharp slowdown compared with double-digit growth in previous years, reflecting a more cautious approach by banks amid rising economic uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>Banks have scaled back new guarantees as U.S. tariff policies weigh on export profitability and a weaker won raises costs for companies. The won-dollar exchange rate has hovered around 1,500 won, adding further pressure on corporate balance sheets. <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-inline lato\">\n<h3 class=\"arimo bold\">Related<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/10\/strait-hormuz-middle-east-conflict-global-oil-price\/5571773195824\/\" target=\"_blank\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Related Article', 'World News');\"  title=\"Oil could hit $150 as Hormuz disruptions raise stagflation fears\">Oil could hit $150 as Hormuz disruptions raise stagflation fears<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/12\/standard-chartered-bank-commitment\/4711773320666\/\" target=\"_blank\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Related Article', 'World News');\"  title=\"Standard Chartered CEO shows commitment to South Korean market\">Standard Chartered CEO shows commitment to South Korean market<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/17\/government-investment-domestic-ai-semiconductor-companies\/9611773802491\/\" target=\"_blank\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Related Article', 'World News');\"  title=\"South Korea launches &#039;K-NVIDIA&#039; push with $38B investment\">South Korea launches &#8216;K-NVIDIA&#8217; push with $38B investment<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Payment guarantees, commonly used by exporters, allow companies to secure financing or complete trade transactions by relying on a bank&#8217;s credit backing. If a company defaults, the bank assumes the repayment obligation.<\/p>\n<p>Industry data show that firm guarantees &#8211; where the amount is fixed and the bank assumes the debt &#8211; rose 8.5% to 60.9 trillion won (about $45 billion), while contingent guarantees fell 8.8% to 18.3 trillion won (about $13.7 billion). <\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-5 text-center mb-5\" style=\"min-height: 305px;\">\n<div class=\"upi-ad-unit\">\n<div class=\"upi-content\" style=\"margin: 0 auto;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Analysts said banks are favoring lower-risk transactions and reducing exposure to more complex contingent guarantees, which are harder to manage.<\/p>\n<p>The slowdown also reflects weaker demand. Large exporters, which drove much of last year&#8217;s trade growth, often do not require bank guarantees, while rising delinquency risks have prompted lenders to focus on balance sheet stability.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead, growth in guarantees is expected to remain subdued as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and global logistics disruptions continue to weigh on trade.<\/p>\n<p>A prolonged period of high exchange rates could further increase risks, as most guarantees are denominated in foreign currencies, meaning their value rises in won terms even without new issuance.<\/p>\n<p>Experts say stabilizing the foreign exchange market and expanding trade finance support will be key to preventing broader financial strain on companies.<\/p>\n<p><i>&#8212; Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>\u00a9 Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Original Korean report: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asiatoday.co.kr\/kn\/view.php?key=20260323010006560\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.asiatoday.co.kr\/kn\/view.php?key=20260323010006560<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/article>\n<div data-widget-host=\"revcontent\" data-lz-widget data-pub-id=\"49476\" data-widget-id=\"288021\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"upi-ad-unit\">\n<div class=\"upi-content\" style=\"margin: 0 auto;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sections\">\n<div class=\"sections-header m-t-20\">\n<div class=\"widget-header\">\n<h3 class=\"l-s-25\">Latest Headlines<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row story list m-t-30\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/23\/North-Korea-defectors-25-percent-chromosome-mutations-Punggye-ri-radioactivity\/9641774251271\/\" title=\"25 pct of N. Korean defectors from near Punggye-ri nuclear test site show chromosome mutations: data\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/9641774251271\/2026\/upi\/c3876edbe17f722aa763d37b7b62aca9\/v1.2\/25-pct-of-N-Korean-defectors-from-near-Punggye-ri-nuclear-test-site-show-chromosome-mutations-data.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"25 pct of N. Korean defectors from near Punggye-ri nuclear test site show chromosome mutations: data\" alt=\"25 pct of N. Korean defectors from near Punggye-ri nuclear test site show chromosome mutations: data\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 2 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">25 pct of N. Korean defectors from near Punggye-ri nuclear test site show chromosome mutations: data<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">  A quarter of North Korean defectors from regions near the northeastern Punggye-ri nuclear test site have shown chromosome mutations possibly attributable to exposure to radioactivity, data showed Monday.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/23\/korea-KOSPI-Korean-stocks-fall-6-percent-Middle-East-crisis\/3191774250639\/\" title=\"Seoul shares crash over 6 pct on escalating U.S.-Iran conflict\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/3191774250639\/2026\/i\/17742509165081\/v1.2\/Seoul-shares-crash-over-6-pct-on-escalating-US-Iran-conflict.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Seoul shares crash over 6 pct on escalating U.S.-Iran conflict\" alt=\"Seoul shares crash over 6 pct on escalating U.S.-Iran conflict\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 2 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Seoul shares crash over 6 pct on escalating U.S.-Iran conflict<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">  South Korean stocks plummeted over 6 percent Monday, as the Middle East crisis does not show signs of easing amid an extended standoff between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/sudan-64-killed-hospital-strike\/4531774231651\/\" title=\"WHO chief says at least 64 killed in Sudan hospital strike\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/4531774231651\/2026\/i\/17742346086480\/v1.2\/WHO-chief-says-at-least-64-killed-in-Sudan-hospital-strike.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"WHO chief says at least 64 killed in Sudan hospital strike\" alt=\"WHO chief says at least 64 killed in Sudan hospital strike\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 7 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">WHO chief says at least 64 killed in Sudan hospital strike<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (UPI) &#8212; An airstrike on a Sudanese hospital over the weekend has killed at least 64 people, the World Health Organization confirmed Sunday, as the country&#8217;s warring militaries traded accusations of responsibility.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/trategic-ambiguity-middle-east-crisis-us-pressure\/3211774222577\/\" title=\"Experts urge 'strategic ambiguity' in South Korea's response\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/3211774222577\/2026\/upi\/67e20525f47d63e57dc9a062d73d8a4f\/v1.2\/Experts-urge-strategic-ambiguity-in-South-Koreas-response.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Experts urge &#039;strategic ambiguity&#039; in South Korea&#039;s response\" alt=\"Experts urge &#039;strategic ambiguity&#039; in South Korea&#039;s response\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 10 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Experts urge &#8216;strategic ambiguity&#8217; in South Korea&#8217;s response<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; S. Korea should maintain &#8220;strategic ambiguity&#8221; in responding to U.S. pressure over the Middle East crisis, experts said, as tensions surrounding Iran.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/seoul-mayor-call-for-campaign-to-appeal-centerist-voters\/4001774221850\/\" title=\"Oh Se-hoon calls for centrist-focused campaign team in Seoul race\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/4001774221850\/2026\/i\/17742223426209\/v1.2\/Oh-Se-hoon-calls-for-centrist-focused-campaign-team-in-Seoul-race.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Oh Se-hoon calls for centrist-focused campaign team in Seoul race\" alt=\"Oh Se-hoon calls for centrist-focused campaign team in Seoul race\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 10 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Oh Se-hoon calls for centrist-focused campaign team in Seoul race<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Sunday renewed his call for the formation of a campaign committee aimed at broadening the party&#8217;s appeal to centrist voters<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/revised-labor-laws\/3811774220584\/\" title=\"Expert urges new bargaining framework under labor law\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/3811774220584\/2026\/i\/17742207374414\/v1.2\/Expert-urges-new-bargaining-framework-under-labor-law.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Expert urges new bargaining framework under labor law\" alt=\"Expert urges new bargaining framework under labor law\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 11 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Expert urges new bargaining framework under labor law<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; A labor expert said that S. Korea must move toward building a new collective bargaining framework following the implementation of revised labor laws.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/artificial-economic-stimulus-may-undermine-long-term-growth\/9271774220012\/\" title=\"Resisting stimulus key to achieving sustainable growth\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/9271774220012\/2026\/upi_com\/419c7d6ac06faf8695071b3c0de8fc53\/v1.2\/Resisting-stimulus-key-to-achieving-sustainable-growth.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Resisting stimulus key to achieving sustainable growth\" alt=\"Resisting stimulus key to achieving sustainable growth\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 11 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Resisting stimulus key to achieving sustainable growth<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; Artificial economic stimulus may undermine long-term growth, and policymakers should shift toward structural reforms to achieve sustainable expansion<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/samsung-electronics-chairman-plan-chinese-president-xi-jinping-meeting\/3101774219654\/\" title=\"Samsung chief to meet Xi, discuss China investment\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/3101774219654\/2026\/upi_com\/9e50685f0692c5ebe09a2b0856f68d63\/v1.2\/Samsung-chief-to-meet-Xi-discuss-China-investment.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Samsung chief to meet Xi, discuss China investment\" alt=\"Samsung chief to meet Xi, discuss China investment\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 11 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Samsung chief to meet Xi, discuss China investment<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss expanding investment in China, sources said<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/president-order-exclusion-multiple-home-owner-from-real-estate-policy-making\/5631774218953\/\" title=\"Lee Jae-myung orders multi-home officials excluded from housing policy\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/5631774218953\/2026\/upi_com\/10923e588824907706fd3a6c45f88493\/v1.2\/Lee-Jae-myung-orders-multi-home-officials-excluded-from-housing-policy.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Lee Jae-myung orders multi-home officials excluded from housing policy\" alt=\"Lee Jae-myung orders multi-home officials excluded from housing policy\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 11 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Lee Jae-myung orders multi-home officials excluded from housing policy<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; President Lee Jae-myung has ordered the exclusion of public officials who own multiple homes or high-value properties from real estate policy-making.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/22\/antitrust-regulator-forcing-franchisees-to-buy\/4351774218441\/\" title=\"Shinjeon Tteokbokki fined over forced supply purchases\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Latest Headline', 'World News');\" class=\"row\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-4\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"\/img\/clear.gif\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdnph.upi.com\/ph\/st\/th\/4351774218441\/2026\/i\/17742187945673\/v1.2\/Shinjeon-Tteokbokki-fined-over-forced-supply-purchases.jpg?stfi=1\" title=\"Shinjeon Tteokbokki fined over forced supply purchases\" alt=\"Shinjeon Tteokbokki fined over forced supply purchases\" width=\"200\" height=\"166\" style=\"width:200px; height: 166px;\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-8 col-xs-8\">\n<div class=\"category\"><span>World News<\/span> <i class=\"time-ago\">\/\/ 11 hours ago<\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">Shinjeon Tteokbokki fined over forced supply purchases<\/div>\n<div class=\"content\"> March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; Antitrust regulator said it fined Shinjeon Food Sys Co., operator of the Shinjeon Tteokbokki franchise, 967 million won for forcing franchisees to buy<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"story_dl\">March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212;<\/span> South Korea&#8217;s four largest banks are tightening corporate payment guarantees as exporters face mounting pressure from U.S. tariffs and a prolonged period of high exchange rates.<br \/>The combined value of guarantees issued by KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank and Woori Bank reached 79.2 trillion won (about $59 billion) at the end of last year, up 3.9% from a year earlier, according to financial industry data. <\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-5 text-center mb-5\">\n<div class=\"upi-ad-unit\">\n<div class=\"upi-content\" style=\"margin: 0 auto;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The increase marks a sharp slowdown compared with double-digit growth in previous years, reflecting a more cautious approach by banks amid rising economic uncertainty.<br \/>Banks have scaled back new guarantees as U.S. tariff policies weigh on export profitability and a weaker won raises costs for companies. The won-dollar exchange rate has hovered around 1,500 won, adding further pressure on corporate balance sheets. <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-inline lato\">\n<h3 class=\"arimo bold\">Related<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/10\/strait-hormuz-middle-east-conflict-global-oil-price\/5571773195824\/\" target=\"_blank\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Related Article', 'World News');\"  title=\"Oil could hit $150 as Hormuz disruptions raise stagflation fears\">Oil could hit $150 as Hormuz disruptions raise stagflation fears<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/12\/standard-chartered-bank-commitment\/4711773320666\/\" target=\"_blank\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Related Article', 'World News');\"  title=\"Standard Chartered CEO shows commitment to South Korean market\">Standard Chartered CEO shows commitment to South Korean market<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Top_News\/World-News\/2026\/03\/17\/government-investment-domestic-ai-semiconductor-companies\/9611773802491\/\" target=\"_blank\" onclick=\"upi_gtag('Story', 'Related Article', 'World News');\"  title=\"South Korea launches &#039;K-NVIDIA&#039; push with $38B investment\">South Korea launches &#8216;K-NVIDIA&#8217; push with $38B investment<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Payment guarantees, commonly used by exporters, allow companies to secure financing or complete trade transactions by relying on a bank&#8217;s credit backing. If a company defaults, the bank assumes the repayment obligation.<br \/>Industry data show that firm guarantees &#8211; where the amount is fixed and the bank assumes the debt &#8211; rose 8.5% to 60.9 trillion won (about $45 billion), while contingent guarantees fell 8.8% to 18.3 trillion won (about $13.7 billion). <\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-5 text-center mb-5\" style=\"min-height: 305px;\">\n<div class=\"upi-ad-unit\">\n<div class=\"upi-content\" style=\"margin: 0 auto;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Analysts said banks are favoring lower-risk transactions and reducing exposure to more complex contingent guarantees, which are harder to manage.<br \/>The slowdown also reflects weaker demand. Large exporters, which drove much of last year&#8217;s trade growth, often do not require bank guarantees, while rising delinquency risks have prompted lenders to focus on balance sheet stability.<br \/>Looking ahead, growth in guarantees is expected to remain subdued as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and global logistics disruptions continue to weigh on trade.<br \/>A prolonged period of high exchange rates could further increase risks, as most guarantees are denominated in foreign currencies, meaning their value rises in won terms even without new issuance.<br \/>Experts say stabilizing the foreign exchange market and expanding trade finance support will be key to preventing broader financial strain on companies.<br \/><i>&#8212; Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI<\/i><br \/><i>\u00a9 Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.<\/i><br \/><i>Original Korean report: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asiatoday.co.kr\/kn\/view.php?key=20260323010006560\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.asiatoday.co.kr\/kn\/view.php?key=20260323010006560<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/rss\/articles\/CBMiogFBVV95cUxNV3YtQW10MHhpYWZjekpEelI1QWxERWlxdUVhbjZsdjJ4aWRGNXVtNnJsZEtmbmFPNGFwbERuVmVWMGluU2ZZekRfSWt6WjFCcFFyQ1ZDbWxjUG1XcmUyOXRnSWRrQjcyYWFmNzQwOVRqeDBkc040bDdqbFZjT0lVTkcwVGNFTFp0QTVOQ2N3bHl0Mk5MRUwwTVUxcUFvSmRqMXfSAacBQVVfeXFMUFNiTTFySzNUZF83WjJKaHptbUNZbzFVMHdObDJ6M253RjdDOGRLWE1Eam5jOXd3dENUYkJySHFVMTJZUUNxWlZoU0h1UHdCNjUyVFdQRE1MRGJrNXI5T21rT0Z6Z19hbTFLbUNJTGxZN0F4ZDFsa3dxZExZN2hfYnhvNEIwa3Y1Z1IwXzZPaWI2NlBwT2Rkd2NuMDM2cmpBcE5MN3gwY1U?oc=5\">source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>March 22 (Asia Today) &#8212; South Korea&#8217;s four largest banks are tightening corporate payment guarantees as exporters face mounting pressure from U.S. tariffs and a prolonged period of high exchange rates. The combined value of guarantees issued by KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank and Woori Bank reached 79.2 trillion won (about $59 billion) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3840","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3840"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3840\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnewstoday.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}