주식담보대출 잔액 63%가 ‘고령층’ 집중…증시 조정발 손실도 집중

63% of the loan amounts in stock-backed loans are concentrated among the elderly population, with the financial impact of market adjustments and investment losses also heavily affecting this group, according to a report from the House Financial and Economic Affairs Committee. In the previous year, the outstanding loan amount totaled 2.3345 trillion won, which has increased by 24.3% to 2.927 trillion won as of the end of May this year.

A majority of the loan amount, 1.8283 trillion won, was secured through the stock of companies in the top five most valuable companies listed on the stock exchange, primarily semiconductor manufacturers. Should the market value of these stocks decline, the borrower would be required to deposit additional cash or stocks to maintain the required ratio.

Failure to do so could lead to forced sales to meet the margin requirement. The recent sharp decline in stock prices of these semiconductor manufacturers, driven by the recent market adjustment, suggests that the losses suffered by the elderly population in this loan category will be significant. The Korea Financial Regulatory Service cautioned that the increased leverage in stock investment, due to the rise of credit and stock-backed loan products offered by banks, could amplify the volatility of the market during times of stock price adjustments, potentially resulting in further financial strain on the elderly population.