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[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] The balance of mortgage loans has increased by more than 2.3 trillion won in the past two months at Internet banks Kakao Bank and K-Bank, the report showed.
According to data received from Internet banks, the balance of Kakao Bank's mortgage loans (including charter and monthly loans) jumped 1.995 trillion won from 17.3223 trillion won at the end of June this year to 19.3173 trillion won at the end of August.
During the period, the balance of K-Bank mortgage loans also increased by 372.1 billion won from 3.6934 trillion won to 4.655 trillion won. In two months, the balance of these two Internet banks alone increased by KRW 2.3671 trillion.
The steep mortgage loan growth rate of Internet banks is further highlighted, considering that the balance of the five major commercial banks (KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NH Nonghyup) increased by 3.599 trillion won from 511.407 trillion won to 514.9997 trillion won over the same period.
The reason behind the surge in Internet banks' mortgage loans is that they set lending rates lower than commercial banks. According to the disclosure by the Korea Federation of Banks, the average interest rate on installment mortgage loans newly handled by Kakao Bank and K-Bank in July was 4.16% and 4.17% per year, respectively, lower than that of the five major banks (4.28-4.70%).
However, the financial authorities have launched an on-site inspection of the Internet bank's loan surge. The Financial Supervisory Service is reportedly looking into whether there was any negligence in the Internet bank's non-face-to-face screening process.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
