At a comprehensive parliamentary audit of the financial sector, lawmakers raised issues spanning governance, loan rate-setting, security and consumer protection. They flagged practices in which retired executives stay on as advisers, and concerns over former Financial Supervisory Service officials taking jobs in financial holding companies. Some banks were criticised for raising add-on rates and cutting preferential rates. Low compensation under a voice phishing scheme and vulnerabilities in bank security software were also questioned, along with a lack of long-term fixed-rate mortgages.

NH Nonghyup Bank is starting development of an AI financial secretary and plans to introduce the service on its mobile banking platform in December, then expand it to face-to-face consultations at branches next year. The bank said it held a project kickoff briefing with its AI-focused subsidiary AgileSoda to build a customer-facing AI agent. Planned functions include wealth management, jeonse loan support and consumer protection information.