South Korea\'s financial authorities and the Korea Exchange said they will strengthen investor protection while seeking to diversify derivatives products and improve trading conditions to revitalise the market, marking the derivatives market\'s 30th anniversary. A Financial Services Commission official said balance is needed as tighter protection has reduced excessive speculation but may have hurt market vitality. The Korea Exchange outlined plans for weekly and zero-day options, new futures listings and steps toward a 24-hour trading system.

KB Kookmin Bank said on Tuesday it launched the KB Star Index-Linked Deposit 26-2, which guarantees principal if held to maturity while offering potential additional returns depending on movements in the underlying asset. The one-year product is linked to the KOSPI200 index and comes in three structures. Depending on the type, minimum annual rates range from 2.00 percent to 2.92 percent, with maximum rates up to 14.0 percent. Sales run through March 9.