South Korea's trade-related policy bank announced it plans to increase trade financing to won 13.5 trillion (US$13 bn) in 2005 from last year's won 11.5 trillion.
The Export-Import Bank of Korea said it will increase the loans to 15 trillion won and 16.5 trillion won in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
The policy bank plans to extend won 3.4 trillion in loans to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) this year, compared with won 2.6 trillion last year. Next year, the lender aims to increase the loans to smaller businesses to won 3.8 trillion.
Loans from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund, designed to help foreign countries, mostly developing nations, improve their economies, will also increase to 420 bn won this year, up 53 per cent from last year’s amount.
Source: The Korea Times
