MG Community Credit Cooperatives posted a net loss of 676.8 billion won ($490 million) in the first half, down 651.9 billion won, or 49.1%, from a 1.33 trillion-won loss a year earlier. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported the results for 1,239 cooperatives nationwide. Total assets fell 4.7% from the end of last year to 273.3 trillion won, deposits declined 4.7% to 243.2 trillion won and lending decreased 0.7% to 181.8 trillion won. Household loans rose 2.4% to 84.3 trillion won, while corporate loans fell 3.3% to 97.5 trillion won. The delinquency rate improved from a year earlier but increased from the end of last year, partly because bad-asset sales and other soundness measures are concentrated in the second half. The net capital ratio rose to 7.96%. After 21 mergers in the first half, the network plans 30 more by year-end, while the ministry will monitor delinquency and liquidity amid expected exchange-rate and interest-rate uncertainty.