Top 4 banks reduce outstanding loans by W6tr this year

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s top four commercial banks have reduced the amount of outstanding loans by more than 6 trillion won (US$ 5.47 billion) this year.

According to finance industry data, outstanding loans at the top four banks – KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori and KEB Hana – came to about 72.25 trillion won at the end of August, falling about 6.05 trillion won from the end of 2015. Of the four, KEB Hana reduced its figure by nearly 4.7 trillion won, and its BIS capital adequacy ratio rose to 16.82 during the first half of the year. 

Local commercial banks have been reducing loans in recent years.

The outstanding loans given by the four largest banks stood at over 81.46 trillion won in 2014, which fell to 78.3 trillion won in the following year.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)