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JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon / Reuters-Yonhap |
By Lee Min-hyung
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon ended his two-day business trip to Seoul, Tuesday, after holding meetings with top financial moguls here. This was the first time in five years that the head of America's largest bank has visited Korea.
He arrived in Seoul on Monday afternoon, and started his schedule of meetings with chiefs of Korea's major financial institutions such as Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong, Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo, Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-ryong, NH Financial Group Chairman Lee Suk-joon, Korea Investment Corporation CEO Jin Seung-ho and Export-Import Bank of Korea CEO Yoon Hee-sung.
Dimon and Korean financial magnates are known to have exchanged their ideas on the need to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries. Dimon's Seoul visit made headlines at a critical time as the United States and China are intensifying diplomatic tension. Despite the geopolitical uncertainty, the JPMorgan chief and Korean financial leaders reportedly shared their common view on the importance of enhancing their investments in each other's country.
He then visited the Bank of Korea (BOK) headquarters for a meeting with BOK Governor Rhee Chang-yong. Both sides shared their ideas on financial priorities ― such as the possibility of the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate cut ― during the 20-minute-long meeting. In May 2018, the BOK hired JPMorgan's former senior economist Lim Ji-won as its monetary policy board member, who was the first from the private sector to join the board.
Given his short schedule here, some other financial leaders who were on business trips to other regions could not meet with the investment bank chief. Aside from the business meetings, Dimon also visited JPMorgan's Seoul office and encouraged the workers there.
Before arriving in Seoul, Dimon took a trip to other Asian countries such as China, Taiwan and Japan.
Dimon declined to comment on rumors over a meeting with Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong. It also remains unclear whether Dimon met with President Yoon Suk Yeol during his stay in the Korean capital. Yoon met with Dimon during the Davos forum in January this year.