South Korea\'s financial authorities expanded the scope of eased network separation rules for AI use to secondary financial institutions and electronic financial business operators. The number of firms to be selected rises to as many as 15, and eligibility thresholds are lowered. Selected institutions can use external AI and security SaaS after putting alternative controls in place. Industry expectations are mixed, with some firms cautious. Global fintech investment rose to $103.1 billion in the first half, with focus expected to shift to AI and financial infrastructure.

Korea\'s financial MyData service is set to expand beyond individuals to sole proprietors and small merchants, evolving from simple data checks to executing financial tasks. The Financial Services Commission plans to broaden the right to request transmission of credit information and to introduce a \"My AI agent\". Separately, the Bank of Korea has raised its base rate for a second straight month, adding to upward pressure on loan rates and borrowers\' interest burdens.