The Financial Supervisory Service's headcount increase this year has more than doubled from last year. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) concentrated the additional staff in capital market and Korean Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives (KFCC) supervision. It also added personnel for areas such as responding to everyday financial crimes and building a regulatory framework for digital assets.
On Feb. 6, according to the office of Lee Yang-soo of the People Power Party, the FSS staffing level for this year was set at 2,263. That is 70 more than last year's 2,193. Last year, the staffing level increased by 30 from 2024, meaning the expansion more than doubled in one year. The staffing level refers to the number of positions allocated to departments, and the actual headcount is lower.
In this expansion, capital market supervision accounted for the largest share. To "establish fair order in the capital market," the FSS increased the staffing level by 19 across three departments in the disclosure investigation area, including Investigation Department 1 and Investigation Department 2. Investigation Departments 1 and 2 investigate unfair transactions in the capital market and conduct follow-up oversight. FSS Governor Lee Chan-jin said in a New Year's address last month, "We will respond sternly so that stock manipulation is out of the question and restore trust in the capital market," noting the agency would concentrate its investigative capacity.
Supervisory personnel for the Korean Federation of Community Credit Cooperatives (KFCC) were also increased. Citing "essential supervisory demand due to changes in the financial environment," the FSS added 28 positions across 10 departments, including the Small and Medium Financial Supervision Department. Of these, 10 were assigned to the Small and Medium Financial Supervision Department and the Small and Medium Financial Inspection Department to strengthen KFCC supervision. The remaining 18 were added to supervisory and inspection departments for each business sector within the FSS.
To respond to everyday crimes and protect consumers, the FSS added 11 people across five departments, including the Consumer Rights Protection Department. This reportedly includes two positions for the task force (TF) for special judicial police on everyday financial crimes that the FSS is working to establish. The remaining nine were allocated among the five bureaus newly created under the governor as part of this reorganization, within the overarching consumer protection unit.
Two departments, including the Digital Finance General Bureau, saw their staffing levels rise by five to support the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector. Four positions were added to build a regulatory framework for digital assets such as token securities and stablecoins, and three more to support the sector's shift to productive finance.
The Financial Services Commission is expected to announce soon a plan to expand the FSS staffing level with these details. An FSS official said, "Once the specifics of the tasks are decided, the additional personnel will begin their assigned duties in earnest."