Borrowing to invest in stocks becomes a pipe dream? Korean media reveals: 5 major commercial banks have already used up 85% of their annual household loan limit

Odaily Planet Daily News According to data disclosed by the Korean financial industry on July 12, as of the end of June, the total household loan balance (excluding policy loans) of the five major commercial banks—KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank, and NH Nonghyup Bank—stood at 647.58 trillion won, an increase of 3.70 trillion won compared to the end of last year. At the beginning of the year, Korean financial regulators set household loan volume control targets for each financial institution, capping the annual growth rate at 1.5%, lower than the actual growth rate of 1.7% last year, aiming to curb the excessively rapid expansion of household debt.

Calculated based on this target, the total ceiling for new household loans for the five major banks for the full year is approximately 4.34 trillion won. By individual bank: KB Kookmin Bank 909.2 billion won, Shinhan Bank 850 billion won, Hana Bank 880.5 billion won, Woori Bank 826.6 billion won, and NH Nonghyup Bank 870 billion won. However, the actual increase of 3.70 trillion won in the first half of the year alone already accounts for 85.3% of the annual ceiling. The remaining quota for the year is only about 639.5 billion won, spread over the six months of the second half, leaving very limited room. (Wall Street News)