South Korean financial authorities are working with the investment industry to formally prohibit margin trading by investors under 19 through Korea Exchange or Korea Financial Investment Association regulations. The practice has largely been left to brokerages’ discretion, but officials want an explicit rule to strengthen investor protection and prevent high-risk, debt-funded trading by minors. The Financial Supervisory Service identified improving credit-margin practices, including restrictions on minors’ margin trading, as a key task in its financial consumer-protection plan announced on Sept. 17. KB Securities, Samsung Securities and Shinhan Securities have introduced or scheduled restrictions, with industry-wide implementation expected around early next month. Separately, debt-funded investment is rising again: investor deposits fell by about 10 trillion won between Sept. 10 and Sept. 17, while credit transaction loans increased by about 713 billion won.