South Korean regulator seeks opinions on Dunamu-Naver Financial merger

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has asked 18 brokerage firms, including Korea Investment & Securities, Meritz Securities, and Hana Securities, to submit their opinions on a proposed merger between Dunamu and Naver Financial by the end of this month, Money Today Broadcasting reported. The firms are reportedly concerned about the potential for monopolistic harm from the combination of the country's top operators in simple payments and virtual assets. According to the report, the commission specifically asked the firms whether it is feasible to combine an unlisted stock brokerage platform with a virtual asset exchange and whether such an integrated platform could secure a competitive advantage that rivals would struggle to overcome.