Mortgage loans by 5 largest banks South Korea April-July 2023

The value of mortgage loans provided by the five largest banks in South Korea combined stood at approximately 513 trillion South Korean won in July 2023. Figures have seen a steady increase in the mortgage loan balance of the banks in the past several months.

Rising interest rates

Despite the base rate of the Bank of Korea having risen, demand for mortgages has continued to grow into the second quarter of 2023. With this, interest rates for mortgage loans also increased. Although fears of a declining housing market had spread throughout the country, this had not discouraged consumers from taking out loans.

South Korea's bogeumjari loans

In South Korea, bogeumjari loans have become a popular type of mortgage loan as they have fixed and favorable rates designed to support prospective first-time homeowners. Of the bogeumjari loans provided, loans with a term of 30 years were issued the most in the previous year. Hana Bank lent the most among the largest banks in the country in 2022, followed by KB Kookmin Bank. Given the volatility of the housing market, much attention will be paid to the impact of these loans on housing prices in the following months.