Investors weigh cost of Korea's inclusive finance push

Korean banks are ramping up debt relief for troubled borrowers as Seoul intensifies its inclusive-finance push, prompting closer scrutiny of how far lenders will be expected to shoulder social policy objectives.

According to industry estimates Sunday, the five major commercial banks carried out over 4,600 in-house debt restructuring cases in the first four months of this year, nearly quadruple the 1,180 cases recorded a year earlier.

The amount more than tripled to 35.9 billion won ($23.5 millio ...