1. Large-Value Payment System
1.1 Outline
The BOK has been running BOK-Wire as the only RTGS system for large-value
funds since December 1994. It guarantees settlement finality for individual funds
transfer requests by adopting the method of real-time gross settlement (RTGS). In otherwords, once a settlement is cleared, it is irrevocable and unconditional so that
settlement risks are entirely eliminated.
BOK-Wire plays a pivotal role in the payment system in Korea because it also
provides finality of settlement regarding interbank credits and receipts within the retailpayment systems run by KFTC. It is also linked with the DvP (Delivery versus
Payment) and PvP Systems to reduce settlement risks in securities and foreignexchange transactions.

1.2 Functions
Services provided through BOK-Wire can be categorized into funds settlementbusiness and other business. The former includes domestic currency funds transfers,
foreign currency funds transfers, and government and public bonds issuance andredemption, and the latter includes the Bank of Korea loans and the transmission of
information concerning Treasury payments.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

13

(Domestic Currency Funds Transfer Service)
The Domestic Currency Funds Transfer Service carries out general funds transfers
for transactions between financial institutions, call transaction settlement to process
automatically the principal and interest arising from direct or brokered transactions, andrecipient-specific funds transfers that allow an individual or a business to make a largevalue funds transfer as a third party through a participant bank. It also deals with DvPtransactions and net settlements for retail payment systems.
The General Settlement of Domestic Currency Funds Transfer Service executes thetransfer of funds between participant institutions and their head office and local
branches across current accounts held with the Payment Systems & Treasury Service
Department of the BOK or its regional headquarters.
Call Transaction Settlement handles the supply and repayment of call funds acrossparticipants’current accounts with the BOK so as to adjust temporary excesses andshortages of funds. The service is available to all participant institutions, and banks canuse it to transfer call funds from non-participant institutions such as investment trust
companies and participant institutions.
Recipient-Specific Funds Transfer is a third-party transfer service that allows anindividual or a business to make a large-value transfer of at least 1billion won through aparticipant institution.
(Foreign Currency Funds Transfer)
Foreign Currency Funds Transfer System is used to transfer foreign currency funds
in US dollar or Japanese yen between financial institutions across their foreign currency
deposit accounts with the BOK. Dependent upon the characteristics of the transaction,14

foreign currency funds transfers are classified as foreign currency funds transfers
between financial institutions, in-house foreign currency funds transfers between bankheadquarters and branches, and foreign currency funds deposits into and/or withdrawals
from the BOK account.
(Government and Public Bonds Issuance and Redemption)
The issuance and redemption of government and public bonds cover operations,handling the issuance of government and public bonds, registration of the right ofpledge, the transfer of title, their redemption at maturity, and repurchaseagreements(RP) involving them.
Government and public bonds are issued through a process of electronic bidding
through BOK-Wire with purchasers of government and public bonds issued by thegovernment and the BOK using their current accounts with the BOK for settlement on
a DvP basis. Government and public bonds may be repurchased by the BOK prior tomaturity at the financial institution’s request with funds being credited to its current
account via BOK-Wire. In the case of redemption at maturity, the principal and interest
after deduction of withholding tax are credited to the current account of the holding
institution after a redemption request is made through BOK-Wire.
In order to control short-term liquidity through repurchase operations, the BOK
conducts with selected financial institution counterparts the sale of government bonds
and government-guaranteed bonds under repurchase and reverse repurchase. Tenders,
entry into contracts, repurchase prior to maturity and redemption at maturity are allprocessed through BOK-Wire.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

15

(BOK Loans)
BOK-Wire is also used for dealing with file transfers and funds settlement related to
the BOK Loans System. Loan and securities provision applications are filed online tobe screened for eligibility as collateral by the BOK prior to its granting of loans andcollection of the redeemed proceeds at maturity. Financial institutions report theirperformance in the extension of credits such as commercial bill discounts and tradefinancing during a certain period as the basis for allocations under the Aggregate Credit
Ceiling.
(The Receipts of Treasury Funds)
Treasury Payment System carries out the collection of tax revenues by concentrating
at the BOK the Treasury funds received by Treasury agencies nationwide. All Treasury
agencies enter the details of their daily revenue receipts into their individual computer
systems. The records are collated at the head offices of individual financial institutions
electronically and sent to the BOK by file-transfer through BOK-Wire by the 07:00
following business day. The BOK debits the related amounts from the current accountsof the revenue gathering institutions at a designated time on the second business day
thereafter.

16

Figure 3

Use of BOK-Wire (Daily Average)(billion won)Treasury Payment, BOK Loans, Issuance and repayment of government and public bonds

1.3 Intraday Liquidity Management
BOK-Wire operates queuing arrangements, a designated-time transaction system,
advance funds transfer arrangements, half-day call transactions and intraday overdrafts
to facilitate participating institutions’effective management of intraday liquidity.
(Queuing Arrangements)
BOK-Wire adopts a queuing mechanism when participants are short of the required
current account balance. Typically such a system holds the payment orders in a queue

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

17

until the necessary funds are deposited, and the orders are processed, but under thequeuing system utilized by the BOK, queuing is limited to 1 hour. A By-pass FIFO
(First-In, First-Out) rule has been introduced since January 1997 under which thesystem attempts to process the first transfer in a queue, but when this can not be
executed owing to a lack of funds, it then tries to settle the next transfer instead in orderto make funds transfer more efficient.
Since August 2002, optimization routines that simultaneously settle funds transfer
orders from parties in gridlock have been introduced to improve system liquidity andincrease settlement efficiency. They are run every five minutes after 13:30 when funds
transfer orders are bunched.
(Designated-Time Transaction System)
BOK-Wire designates a set time to process net settlement in clearings, the Giro
System, and IFT at the order of KFTC, redemption of call funds at maturity, andcollection of Treasury funds from financial institutions. Integrated processing of largevalue transactions involving a number of financial institutions with one another at one
point in time heightens the efficiency of financial institutions’fund management andthe convenience of settlement business.
(Advance Funds Transfer Arrangements)
If the net settlement amount of check clearings is significantly larger than the current
account balance held by financial institutions, the net paying bank needs to borrow thesettlement funds from the net receiving bank in bills clearing. In contrast, a net receiverbank has to wait until the settlement payment is deposited into its current accountbefore lending the necessary funds to a net payer bank. The advance funds transfer

18

arrangement system is designed to heighten the counterparties’convenience by making
advance funds transfer arrangement for a designated time to cover the funds shortage innet clearings settlement.
The arrangement should be filed between the time that the BOK receives net
settlement requests for the afternoon designated time(14:30) from KFTC and 14:10.
The system is not in use for net settlement business at the designated time in themorning.
(Half-day Call Transaction)
The Half-day Call Transaction System, too, is designed to facilitate financial
institutions’coverage of intraday funds’shortages for retail payments. Participating
institutions interact with each other one-to-one without the involvement of anintermediary institution to make use of the advance funds transfer arrangement system.
Non-bank participant institutions as well as banks can access the system in view of theobjective of raising settlement funds seamlessly.
The half-day call transaction system differs from the advance funds transfer
arrangement system in that a receiving institution must pay a set fee for every 100
million won borrowed. Half-day call transaction funds are automatically redeemed atmaturity through BOK-Wire. There are two types of half-day call transaction: morningtime and afternoon-time.
(Intraday Overdrafts)
Daily current account loans are an instrumentality that facilitates the smooth
operation of the RTGS. When the current account balance of a participant institution
falls short of the amount of the funds transfer order, the system immediately supports an

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

19

automatic loan within the preset credit limit to allow funds settlement to operatecontinuously during business hours.
The system serves participant institutions of BOK-Wire with a current accountpayment deposit at the BOK. Government bonds, government guaranteed bonds andmonetary stabilization bonds(MSBs) are held as securities for the interest-free loan. The
credit limit is computed as 200% of the average monthly balance of its current accountwith the BOK in the month two months earlier. When the loan is not repaid before thedeadline, it is converted into a Temporary Funds Shortage Loan, carrying a relatively
high interest rate.

1.4 Operation and Management
Any financial institution, whether monetary or non-monetary, having a current
account with the BOK is eligible to participate in BOK-Wire subject to the approval of
the BOK based on its management performance indicators, business performance
ratios, forecast usage of BOK-Wire and its relevance for the BOK operations. As of theend of June 2005, a total of 121 institutions participated in BOK-Wire, of which 55
were banks and 66 non banks.
The BOK stipulates that participating institutions should assume the direct costs(excluding labor costs) of the BOK-Wire’s construction and operations. The actual
amount is decided on the basis of the level of the system’s contribution to heightening
the business convenience and profitability of the participants. Additionally, in order toreduce settlement risks and improve settlement practices of participating institutions,relatively higher fees are imposed for settlements executed near the close of businesshours when there is typically a bunching of settlements.

20

2. Retail Payment Systems
There are 8 retail payment systems in Korea: the Check Clearing System, the Giro
System, the IFT System, the CD/ATM System, the Electronic Banking System(HOFINET), the CMS System, the Local Banks Shared System(BANKLINE) and the
K-CASH System. In addition, there are also the B2C & B2B Electronic Commerce
Payment Systems, which support e-commerce activities.
Table 4Retail Payment System Types

Classification

Objects of Settlement

Intro-duction

Settlement
MethodClearing

Bills, Checks, and Payment certificates

1910

Paper

Giro

Sales, Insurance, Telephone, Public utility
fees, Salary account transfers

1977

Paper
& Electronic

Savings withdrawals, Funds transfers,
Credit card cash advances

1988

Electronic

Retail funds remittances

1989

Electronic

Funds transfers from accounts
linked with a debit card

1996

Electronic

Large-sum funds transfers

1996

Electronic

Account deposits/ withdrawals, Transfers

1997Electronic

K-CASH funds transfers

2000

Electronic

E- Banking System

Phone/ Firm/ Internet banking transfers

2001Electronic

B2C E-Commerce
Payment System

B2C e-commerce transaction funds transfers

2000

Electronic

B2B E-Commerce
Payment System

B2B e-commerce transaction funds transfers

2002Electronic

CD/ATM
IFT
EFT/POSCMS
Local Banks Shared
System(BANKLINE)
K-CASHPAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

21

2.1 Check Clearing System
There were 51 clearing houses nationwide in Korea run by KFTC as of June 2005.
Establishment of a clearing house requires the authorization of the Minister of Justice asprescribed by Article 83 of the Bills of Exchange & Promissory Notes Act and Article
69 of the Check Act. A total of 26 types of certificates including bills, checks, andcertificates of time deposit as specified in the Check Clearing Agreement can besubmitted for clearing.
(Participating Institutions)
Financial institutions taking part in check clearing can be divided into generalparticipating banks, special participating banks, and indirectly participating banks.
General participating banks consist of general member and associate member banks of
KFTC. Special participating banks are non-bank financial institutions other than thegeneral participating banks that take part in the check clearing system on the special
consent of the KFTC’s general meeting. The Post Office is designated as a special
participating bank under the Check Clearing Agreement. Apart from this, koreanbranches of foreign banks and member cooperatives of the National Federation ofFisheries Cooperatives or member cooperatives of the National Agricultural
Cooperative Federation may indirectly participate in checks and bills clearing on
approval by the KFTC Clearings Review Committee.
The Seoul Clearing House had 19 general participating banks, 3 special participatingbanks, and 40 indirectly participating banks as of June 2005.
(Settlement Procedures)
Operators of participant banks gather at a clearing house to exchange bills in accordance

22with the receipt record. The net receipt or payment is calculated and settled at the end. The
process differs between Seoul Clearing House, where bills are cleared by both hand andmachine, and other clearing houses where clearing is processed only by hand.
Once these clearing procedures are completed one hour prior to beginning of thenext business day, the net clearing value is computed to be transmitted online to the
BOK. These netted balances are settled across the current accounts of the participatingbanks at 14:30 that same day.
(Interregional Clearings)
If a bill’s issuer is not from the area where the clearing house is located, the billmust in principle be cleared directly with the issuer. However, such a method requires
4~5 days for settlement with the burden of additional clearing fees being levied on
customers, which results in making bills and checks from other regions unattractive.
Clearing houses enter into agreements to exchange bills from their respective areas forsettlement on the next business day to relieve such inconvenience and facilitate
seamless and timely interregional funds settlement. The Interregional Clearing System
has been in operation since March 1977 between clearing houses where the circulationof bills from other areas is large. It was in operation in eight areas as of June 2005;
Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Jeonju, Gangneung, Daejeon, and Mokpo.
(Cashier’s Check Truncation)
Economic growth in Korea led to a significant increase in financial transactions byvolume and by value, giving financial institutions a heightened workload related to
payment receipt processing. The Cashier’s Check Truncation System was launched in
May 2000 to transmit information concerning cashier’s checks electronically between

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

23

the payee’s bank and the payer’s bank. The scope of the service was expanded to allparts of Korea in September 2002.
The truncation system allows each financial institution to transmit data on checks
and bills that are to be cleared to KFTC instead of gathering at the clearing house withthe physical documents. The BOK plans to establish a new computer system that willallow information exchange about promissory notes, household checks, and current
account checks, for all of which confirmation of the seal impression is essential, in
addition to the text-based cashier’s checks.

2.2 Bank Giro System(Outline)
The modern form of the Bank Giro System in Korea springs from the introductionof the use of Giro for the collection of electricity charges in Seoul in February 1977.
Since then the system has grown continuously to include various types of bill payments
along with a range of services. These can be categorized into paper based giro services
for credit transfers and electronic giro services for direct debits, direct credit transfers,
and standing orders, which are carried out nationwide. The Internet Giro service wasintroduced in March 2000. Through this service, payments may be made over theinternet without a physical giro slip.
KFTC plays the role of a clearing center by processing information and ordering funds
settlement in regard to interbank funds transfers and net settlement. The BOK settles girotransaction balances between banks with finality across their current accounts.
As of June 2005, the membership of the Giro System comprised 26 banks, the Post
Office, member cooperatives of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and24the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, the Korean Federation ofCommunity Credit Cooperatives, the National Credit Union Federation of Korea, andthe Korea Federation of Savings Banks.
(Credit Transfers)
In the credit transfer system, funds deposited by the payer in cash or credited fromher/his account are transferred to the recipient’s account. The system is used for public
utility charge payments and other large-value payment transactions as well as for funds
transfers between individuals. Currently, large-volume payment transactions making
use of credit transfers include electricity/telephone bills, premiums for insurance andnational pensions, other insurance premiums, city gas charge, school & college tuition,purchase payments, membership fees, service fees, installment payments, newspaper
subscriptions and many others.
(Direct Debits)
Direct debits operate in accordance with an agreement made between a payee
institution, a payer, and a financial institution regarding a recurring payment obligation.
Without a separate transfer request, the financial institution debits the payer’s accountwith the specified amount and credits it to the payee’s account based on the billinginformation. Like credit transfers, direct debits typically include those for electricity andtelephone charges, insurance premiums, installment-purchase payments, and credit card
payments; in other words, they are also mostly used for large-volume paymenttransactions.
Payee institutions using the direct debit system can not only use all branches ofparticipating institutions to collect funds, but because they may also receive notification

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

25

Table 5

Use of Bank Giro System(thousand transactions, billion won)

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

723,940

847,272854,022926,338

928,388

Credit Transfers

387,143

507,742

491,306

472,330

432,416

Direct Debits

314,642314,323

330,746414,243452,724

Direct Credit Transfers

11,074

11,15014,884

19,712

20,813Standing Orders

11,082

14,057

17,086

20,05322,43473,61098,604

104,559

114,963

122,255

Credit Transfers

39,95660,463

61,771

62,38961,432

Direct Debits

18,085

20,17021,96628,43833,048

Direct Credit Transfers

13,193

14,884

16,915

19,347

20,914Standing Orders

2,376

3,088

3,907

4,789

6,860

By Volume

By Valueas to the outcome of their settlement requests, the need to draw up and register those notmaking payments is obviated.
So long as the payer’s bank account has sufficient credit, the payee institutions arecertain of receiving the payments, whereby the efficiency of processing a large volume
of collections is heightened.
(Standing Orders)Standing orders are used to automatically transfer funds from a payer’s bank accountto another bank for loan repayment, time installment savings and other routine
payments on a regular basis. The most common use of the system is for regular bank26

payments such as those of loan interest and principal, installment savings, subscription
savings, trust fund payments and other recurring membership and sponsorshippayments.
(Direct Credit Transfers)
Direct credit transfers enable funds to be credited on a regular basis to multiple
recipients’accounts with different banks upon the payer’s request. They are widelyused for large-volume periodical or one-off payments such as salaries, pensions anddividends.
Salary, pension, and dividend payments require the paying public agency orbusiness to transfer a large-volume of funds to the bank accounts of a large number ofrecipients. The direct credit transfer system facilitates the process by allowing the payer
to transfer these funds to recipients’accounts in any bank nationwide through its own
bank.
(Internet Giro)Internet Giro allows collecting institutions to send online billing information tocustomers electronically. After checking the billing details, the customer makes
payment at the website by the transfer of funds as an electronic giro payment to thebilling institution’s account. This financial service was first launched in March 2000.
As of June 2005, its coverage included the payment of national taxes, local taxes,
various public utility fees, and other giro fees for some 33,000 institutions. It had as ofthat date some 2.7 million people subscribers.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

27

2.3 Interbank Shared Networks
2.3.1 Interbank Funds Transfer System
The Interbank Funds Transfer System allows all branches of participating members
to process remittances to the account of a payee at any branch. It was first launched in
December 1989.
As of the end of June 2005, all the domestic banks apart from the Export-Import
Bank of Korea, plus the Post Office, member cooperatives of the National Agricultural
Cooperative Federation and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, theKorean Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives, the National Credit Union

Figure 4

IFT Process28

Federation of Korea, the Korea Federation of Savings Banks and korean branches ofseven foreign banks for participated in the IFT system. Cash transfers, cashier’s checktransfers, remittances of payments and cashier’s check information inquiries can beprocessed through the IFT system network. The transfer value ceiling is 100 million
won per transaction.
Settlement between the banks involved is finalized by debiting and crediting theiraccounts with the BOK through BOK-Wire on 11:30 of the next business day
following the transfer transaction. The system is fast losing ground to the Internet
Banking System, and its business volume has been shrinking every year since 2000.

2.3.2 CD/ATM System
The CD/ATM System is designed to facilitate bank customers’cash withdrawals,
funds transfers, and information inquiries through the CD or ATM terminals of otherbanks. The System was launched in July 1988.
Participants in the CD/ATM System at the end of June 2005 included all thedomestic banks apart from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, the Post Office, member
cooperatives of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and the National
Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, the Korean Federation of Community Credit
Cooperatives, the National Credit Union Federation of Korea, the Korea Federation of
Savings Banks, and the korean branches of HSBC. The system handles cash (including
fixed denomination 100,000 won cashier’s checks) withdrawals, cash advances on
credit cards, funds transfers, balance inquiries, and giro payment services between
08:00 and 23:30 everyday. Interbank funds settlement arising from the system isfinalized on a net basis at 11:30 on the next business day by debiting and crediting theindividual banks’current accounts held with the BOK through BOK-Wire.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

29

Delivery of services including cash withdrawals, balance inquiries and cash
advances on credit cards is made possible throughout the year by an Outdoor CD/ATM
System installed in heavily frequented public places such as subway stations. The
installation and operation of the Outdoor CD/ATM System are the responsibility of
NICE e-Banking services. NICE e-Banking draws up detailed daily statements of
inpayments and withdrawals for each individual bank and of cash advances provided

Figure 5

Cash Withdrawals from the CD/ATM System① Customer: Inputs related information personally into the CD② Acquiring Bank Headquarters: Sends payment request message to KFTC
③ KFTC: Sends payment request message to the customer’s bank
④ Customer’s Bank: Sends payment approval message to KFTC after reviewing the information⑤ KFTC: Sends payment approval message to the Acquiring bank
⑥ Customer: withdraws cash
⑦ KFTC: Creates net settlement document and sends it to the BOK(D +1 Day)
⑧ The BOK : makes interbank net settlement (D+1 Day)30

on credit cards and it sends them to KFTC, which handles the processing of positions
for settlement across participants’current accounts with the BOK.

2.3.3 EFT/POS System
The EFT/POS System was launched in February 1996 as a settlement system
involving debit cards, which are issued to account holders by banks. The cardholder
uses her/his debit card for purchase of the product or service purchases, debiting her/his
account with the related funds, which are then credited to the seller’s account the next
business day.
As of the end of June 2005, all the domestic banks apart from the Export-Import
Bank of Korea and the Industrial Bank of Korea, plus 6 VAN businesses including
KFTC, National Information & Credit Evaluation Inc, Korea Information &Communication Co. Ltd, KIS Information & Communication, Korea VAN Service
Co.Ltd, and KSNET Inc participated in the System.
Debit card transaction information is compiled at KFTC on the business day
following the purchase by gathering debit card transaction records from each VAN
business. After the net transaction values have been computed for every bank, the files
are transmitted to the BOK and merchants’banks are notified of the details so thatmerchants’accounts may be credited.

2.3.4 Cash Management Service (CMS) System
The CMS System, launched in May 1996, interlinks the computers of participating
institutions and banks to facilitate the electronic processing of large-volume funds
transfers, transaction information inquiries, and financial information services.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

31

Large-volume funds transfers through the CMS System consist of a debit transfer
service for collections of money and a credit transfer service for the payments ofmoney. The debit transfer service is similar to Giro direct debits, being related to
payments of various installment and insurance premiums. The credit transfer service issimilar to Giro direct credit transfers related to various disbursements and payments ofdividends and salaries. Interbank funds settlement is finalized daily at 11:30 on the dayof transaction for deposit transfers prior to that time and on the next business day fordebit transfers.

2.3.5 Local Banks Shared System (BANKLINE)The Local Banks Shared System was established in June 1997 to interconnect
participating banks with KFTC to facilitate BANKLINE operations allowing customers
to make account transactions in all bank offices regardless of their location. The Systemenables local banks without a national sales network to provide customers from acrossthe nation with deposits, withdrawals, and transfer services. All six local banks
participated in the system as of June 2005.
The operations of the system consist of funds transfers and other transactions
including inquiries for information about transaction details. The former are thendivided into deposits and withdrawals. Interbank funds settlement is made acrossindividual participant banks’current accounts with the BOK through BOK-Wire at
11:30 on the next business day.

2.3.6 K-CASH System
The K-CASH System is a system that processes settlement of credits and debits
between financial institutions based on the use of K-CASH, jointly developed by32

financial institutions. It was launched in July 2000.
The system is used most widely in the transportation sector as well as in some cyber
cafes or PC rooms, vending machines, and internet shopping malls where the scale ofindividual transactions remains very small. Related interbank funds settlement is finalized
at 11:30 on the next business day across participants’current accounts with the BOK.

Figure 6

K-CASH System Business Procedures① Recharge the K-CASH using the value-storage terminal② Pay for the product or service purchase with K-CASH③ Sales-related information is transmitted to KFTC via VAN businesses④ KFTC transfers the transaction details to issuer and purchasing banks⑤ KFTC transfers the funds settlement details to issuer and purchasing banks⑥ KFTC requests net settlement to the BOK through BOK-Wire⑦ The BOK processes interbank net settlement across current accounts⑧ K-CASH buyer’s bank makes a deposit into the seller’s account

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

33

2.3.7 Electronic Banking System
The Electronic Banking System was launched by upgrading the former Automatic
Response Service (ARS) System in April 2001, while also mediating the e-financeservices of telebanking, internet banking, and mobile banking that had been previously
delivered through the IFT or the CD System Networks. Interbank funds settlementfrom telebanking, internet banking, and mobile banking services is processed on 11:30
of the following business day across individual banks’current accounts with the BOK.

Figure 7

Electronic Banking Procedures34

2.3.8 B2C E-Commerce Payment System
B2C E-Commerce Payment System provides a real-time intermediation service forfunds settlement between individual buyers and sales businesses in the e-commercetransaction environment that also delivers a real-time inquiry service concerningtransaction outcomes. It has been in operation for interbank funds transfers and credit
card settlements and transfer detail inquiry services since December 2000.
A number of devices and measures have been put in place to protect customers’
settlement information especially in the e-commerce setting of anonymity and theservice is available only for customers and shopping malls with official certificates. To
heighten system security, for example, all settlement information is encoded prior totransmission to protect the confidentiality of customer information. Interbank funds
settlement related to B2C transfers is finalized at 11:30 on the following business day
across individual banks’current accounts with the BOK through BOK-Wire.

2.3.9 B2B E-Commerce Payment System
B2B E-Commerce Payment System was launched in March 2002 to provide
transmission of B2B contract information and a delivery channel for a new payment
instrument, Online Registered Bill(ORB). ORB, the most commonly used payment
instrument in the B2B E-Commerce Payment System, brings together electronically thepayment function of checks and the credit function of bills. KFTC acts as the central
clearing institution for ORBs as well as the operator of the B2B E-Commerce Payment
System.
The services available in the System include issuing and processing ORBs,
interbank funds transfers, and escrow. The settlement of ORBs at maturity andinterbank fund transfers arising from real-time credit transfers are accomplished by

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

35

multilateral net settlement at 11:30 on the business day following the transaction acrossparticipants’current accounts with the BOK through BOK-Wire.

2.4 Credit Card Payment Systems
Through credit card payment systems, card holders can obtain goods or services on
credit or get cash advances or loans. There is no dedicated interbank settlement systemfor credit card payments and each credit card issuer makes use of a different method ofsettlement. In the case of banks and bank-affiliates, multilateral netting balances foreach member bank are calculated by BC Card Co., which is a supporting organization
for these credit card issuers, and they are then settled through the Check Clearing
System. In the case of stand-alone credit card issuers, settlement is made by thecompanies’payments of the settlement funds, directly into their merchant members’bank accounts.

36

3. Securities Settlement Systems
3.1 Overview
Securities settlement systems in Korea include the Securities Market Settlement
System and the KOSDAQ Market Settlement System managed by KRX(Korea
Exchange), and the OTC Bond Market Settlement System run by KSD(Korea
Securities Depository).
Table 6

Payments through Securities Settlement Systems (2004)(trillion won)

Total

Daily Average

Securities Settlement
Trading Settlement
Value
Value

System

Trading Settlement Operator
Value
Value

Securities

Stocks

558.0

65.8

2.2

0.26

Market Settlement

Bonds

376.5

104.8

1.5

0.42
KRX

KOSDAQ Market
Settlement

153.3

7.4

0.61

0.03

OTC Bond Market
Settlement

2,300.5

1,404.0

9.2

5.6

KSD

3.2 Securities Market Settlement System
The Securities Market Settlement System settles transactions in listed stocks andbonds between securities companies in the securities markets run by KRX.
Under the Securities & Exchange Act, KRX is given full responsibility for the

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

37

settlement of transactions in the securities market. It entrusts KSD with the setting-upof the detailed settlement methods and the handling of DvP settlement procedures.
Settlement of stocks and funds takes place in the order of customer -> securities
companies -> KRX within the prescribed time of 2 business days after the trade date(T+2). Book-entry of securities is made across participants’accounts opened at KSD,
while funds are settled through participants’accounts at designated commercial banks.
Settlement of bonds and funds takes place in the same sequence as that of stocks
within 1 business day after the trade date (T+1) for government bonds and theprescribed time of the same day of the trade date (T+0) for other bonds. Bonds delivery
is conducted in the same way as that of stocks. Funds transfer is settled acrossparticipants’accounts at the BOK for government bonds and across their accounts withdesignated commercial banks for other bonds.
Table 7

Securities Market Settlement Systems
Classification

StocksOrdinary Bonds

Government Bonds

Participants

Securities
Companies

Securities
Companies

Securities
Companies, Banks

Clearing House

KRX

Settlement Agency

KSD

Settlement Method

Multilateral Netting

Settlement Date

T+2

T+0

T+1

DvP

Yes

Yes

Yes

(Funds Settlement)(via DesignatedCommercial Banks)(via DesignatedCommercial Banks)(via BOK-Wire)(Securities Settlement)(Book-Entry)(Book-Entry)(Book-Entry)

38

3.3 KOSDAQ Market Settlement System
The KOSDAQ Market Settlement System is a system for mutual transfers of thestocks and funds arising from transactions in KOSDAQ-listed stocks by securities
companies; it is operated by KRX.
The Securities & Exchange Act stipulates that KRX shall decide upon the details of
settlements in the KOSDAQ market and it has entrusted this business to KSD.
Consequently the clearing and settlement processes in the KOSDAQ market are thesame as that of the securities market.
Settlement takes the form of multilateral netting with the securities being settled bybook-entry at KSD, and the funds being settled through KSD’s accounts withdesignated commercial banks. The settlement of securities and funds is scheduled totake place at 16:00 on the second business day following the trade date (T+2).

3.4 OTC Bond Market Settlement System
The OTC Bond Market Settlement System is run by KSD to process bonds andfunds settlements arising from over-the-counter bond transactions. DvP Settlement ofbonds and funds is conducted through RTGS during the business hours of the next
business day after the trade date once the required bonds and funds have been secured.
KSD takes no responsibility for unsettled transactions, which must be handled throughdirect negotiation between the parties involved.
Since November 1999, the BOK has linked BOK-Wire with the book-entry system
of KSD for DvP of the OTC bond transactions. Accordingly, principal risk has beenbasically eliminated in OTC bond transactions.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

39

Figure 8

Mechanism of DvP

Notes : 1) For guarantee of simultaneous settlement, disposal from the depositor’s account is limited, sothat a seller can not handle the sold bonds again.
2) Procedures from ③ to ⑤ are run simultaneously when a buyer’s current account has sufficientbalance for settlement.

40

4. Foreign Exchange Settlement System
In the past, the general method of closing out claims and obligations in foreignexchange transactions was by gross payments through foreign correspondent banks. As
settlements took place at different times and places, however, the time lag between thesettlements of the buying and selling currencies created foreign exchange settlement
risk. In December 2004, the CLS System was introduced in Korea to provide PvP
services for foreign exchange transactions involving the Korean won, as well as for
those between foreign currencies, thus significantly reducing foreign exchange
settlement risks.

4.1 Statutory Improvement
As a necessary first step for the introduction of the CLS System, the Regulation on
Foreign Exchange Transactions, the Bank of Korea Monetary Policy Committee Ruleand other elements of the relevant statutory framework had to be reviewed andamended.
The Regulation on Foreign Exchange Transactions was revised to permit the deposit
and disposal of funds arising from CLS settlement through nonresident free-won
accounts. Also, CLS Bank and its settlement members abroad were allowed to open
multicurrency accounts and the Korean won accounts at domestic foreign exchangebanks.
By an amendment of the Bank of Korea Monetary Policy Committee Rule, CLSBank became eligible to open a current account at the BOK, and the CLS System wasdesignated a Systemically Important Payment System.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

41

4.2 Establishment of the CLS Linkage System and Interbank
Network
The BOK established the CLS Linkage System to connect BOK-Wire with the CLS
system via the SWIFT network in order to facilitate continuous linked settlement offoreign exchange transactions involving the Korean won, which account for
approximately 85% of total foreign exchange transactions in Korea. At the same time,
KFTC established the Interbank Network for processing information related to CLS
settlements among domestic banks. The participants in this CLS Network, which links
domestic banks with CLS Bank, include the two settlement member banks in Korea,
namely Kookmin Bank and Korea Exchange Bank, as well as their third-party
customers.

4.3 Designation of the Korean Won as a CLS Eligible Currency
The Board of Directors of CLS Bank designated the Korean won as a CLS eligible
currency in November 2004, as all prerequisites in terms of legal and institutional
environment had been satisfied. As end of 2004, there were 15 CLS settlement
currencies including the Korean won, the US dollar, the euro, the Japanese yen, and theBritish pound.

4.4 Settlement Procedures
The process of CLS settlement involves the simultaneous settlement of foreignexchange transactions in two currencies in a system of payment versus payment. CLSBank simultaneously debits and credits the accounts of the two settlement members
concerned in accordance with their payment instructions and actual payment transfers(pay-in and pay-out of funds) are then accomplished between CLS Bank’s accounts

42and those opened with the central banks concerned for each eligible currency, thereby
giving settlement finality in the continuous linked settlement.

Figure 9

Simplified Settlement Procedures of the CLS System① Domestic settlement member bank A signs a transaction contract with foreign settlement member bank
B (for dollar sales and won purchase).
② The transaction details(settlement instructions) are transmitted to CLS Bank.
③ CLS Bank makes pay-in requests to banks A and B after multilateral netting.
④ Banks A and B deposit the funds in the currency they are selling with the BOK and FRB respectively.
⑤ CLS Bank makes pay-out requests to the BOK and FRB respectively for A and B to complete thesettlement.

PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN KOREA

43