South Korea’s temporary exemption from credit-loan collateral maintenance rules is drawing concern that delayed forced sales could increase securities firms’ losses if stock prices decline further. The measure was introduced to curb forced liquidation after a sharp market drop, but it allows brokerages to lower collateral thresholds or defer sales, potentially weakening recovery of loans backed by falling shares. The National Office Financial Services Labor Union Daishin Securities branch called for clear rules on which entity would bear losses from expanded credit defaults. Financial investment regulations generally require collateral worth at least 140% of a credit loan. Mirae Asset Securities lowered its domestic-stock threshold to 130%, Korea Investment & Securities deferred forced sales for three months for applicants, and Samsung Securities cut collateral ratios by 10 percentage points for one day while creating a separate application system. Existing reporting described the regulatory exemption as running through Jan. 31, 2027, while the industry account described it as a three-month measure.