S.Korea market watchdog urges companies to listen carefully to shareholders

South Korea's financial watchdog chief said on Thursday companies should pay more attention to shareholder voices, as the government seeks to boost the domestic stock market by bringing in reforms to encourage higher shareholder returns. "I ask that companies listen carefully to shareholder voices and actively communicate with shareholders on their reasonable demands," said Lee Bok-hyun, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service. "I ask companies to actively share with shareholders as they continue to make efforts to improve shareholder value and build a sound governance structure," Lee said in a meeting with activist funds, representatives of listed companies and market experts.