The Export-Import Bank of Korea successfully issued $3.5 billion in foreign exchange bonds (global bonds), marking the first instance of the government's artificial intelligence industry transformation policy being formally implemented in the financial market. Simultaneously, by strengthening investment attraction in the environmental protection sector, it further demonstrates its status as a policy-oriented financial institution.
The global bond issuance comprises three types. The most notable is the $500 million 10-year bond. This is the first domestic bond issuance explicitly targeting the policy objective of "supporting artificial intelligence (AI) transformation." The Export-Import Bank of China stated that it has explained the South Korean government's direction in cultivating the AI industry to global investors and identified relevant investment needs to attract funding. This move is significant, signifying that policy-based finance has moved beyond simple financing and is now integrated with medium- and long-term industrial strategies.
Another bond issuance, amounting to $1.25 billion, has a three-year maturity. This is a green bond issued to fund decarbonization projects such as greenhouse gas emission reduction and renewable energy expansion. In international financial markets, such bonds represent financial instruments for carbon neutrality and sustainable investment, attracting particular attention from European institutional investors. Analysts believe that the Export-Import Bank of China aims to secure stable funding for fulfilling its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies through this type of bond issuance.
With a total issuance size of US$3.5 billion, excluding the US$4 billion foreign exchange bond issuance by the government in 1998, this is one of the largest issuances ever conducted domestically on a single institutional basis. In particular, its size matches that of a similar global bond issuance by the Export-Import Bank of China in 2023. It is understood that prior to this issuance, the bank held briefings for major institutional investors such as central banks and international organizations, and shared its 2026 financing plan in advance, demonstrating meticulous preparation.
Commentators have pointed out that the ability to achieve such a large-scale foreign exchange financing amidst persistent market uncertainty demonstrates the continued effectiveness of the domestic economic recovery and market confidence in government policies. In a market environment marked by geopolitical tensions and ongoing volatility in interest rate policies of major global economies, the Export-Import Bank of China successfully completed its first large-scale bond issuance of the new year, a move interpreted as a reaffirmation of the competitiveness of domestic "Korean bonds" (foreign exchange bonds issued in South Korea).
This trend may form the basis for domestic policy-oriented financial institutions to actively invest in structural changes such as industrial transformation, digitalization, and carbon neutrality. Furthermore, with the increase in the issuance of policy-linked bonds targeting overseas investors, it is expected that not only will financing be achieved, but international understanding and cooperation on South Korean national policy issues will also be promoted simultaneously.
