On January 14, 2021, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced a series of measures to improve corporate disclosure rules in South Korea, including initiatives to promote ESG and responsible investing (the “Measures“). The Measures include the implementation of mandatory ESG disclosures for listed companies and potential changes to the Korean Stewardship Code to strengthen fiduciary duties related to ESG matters. In a press release, the FSC recognizes the “growing significance of ESG factors and responsible investing” and concludes that “it is necessary to set up an appropriate regulatory environment.”
Continue reading on MayerBrown.com for summary and analysis of these new Measures, the sustainable finance regulatory environment in South Korea more broadly, and the implications for foreign investors in South Korea.