Mutual finance groups in South Korea are facing tighter rules on real estate project financing and broader asset-soundness requirements, forcing them to curb property-related lending and bolster capital. The financial authorities want the sector to strengthen its role in local and low-income finance, but the industry says stable earnings are needed to sustain such lending. It is calling for adjustments to household-loan regulations, particularly outside the capital region, to reflect differing regional conditions.

Competition to acquire capital companies is intensifying in South Korea\'s financial sector. With limited room for growth in household lending and mounting constraints on profit models centered on deposit-to-loan margins, capital firms are emerging as a key route into the non-bank credit market. KakaoBank is pushing to buy Mastern Capital, Hanwha Life has been named preferred bidder for Acuon Capital, and Sh Suhyup Bank is reviewing options as it seeks to broaden its non-bank portfolio.