Seoul, May 29
South Korea's financial watchdog said on Thursday it has placed 41 highly indebted conglomerates under closer watch for debt reductions.
According to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), the conglomerates that owe more than 2.4 trillion won ($1.74 billion) in total to local banks have been designated as heavy corporate debtors this year.
The number of heavily indebted conglomerates marks the largest ever in a decade. This compares with 36 such business groups last year, reports news agency.
Hyundai Department Store, Booyoung and seven others were among the firms that were newly included on the list, while Kumho Asiana, SM and two others were delisted, the FSS said.
The outstanding amount of the 32 business groups' combined loans had totalled 371.8 trillion won as of the end of 2024, up 33 trillion won, or 9.7 percent, from a year earlier, the FSS said.
"The principal creditor banks will evaluate the financial stability of the selected 41 groups, signing a restructuring and turnaround agreement with financially vulnerable groups to manage credit risks systemically," the FSS said in a statement.