A woman talking on the phone walks past an electronic board of the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) at the Korea Exchange (KRX) in Seoul, South Korea, January 20, 2016 REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File PhotoSEOUL, Sept 20 (Reuters) - South Korea plans to announce financial reforms later this year, including its policy on shareholder returns, that could help reduce the "Korea discount" in stock markets, a senior government official told Reuters on Tuesday. The "Korea discount" refers to a tendency for South Korean companies to have lower valuations than global peers due to factors such as low dividend payouts, the dominance of opaque conglomerates known as chaebols and geopolitical risks involving North Korea. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSome of the policies the authority is looking into include dividend policy, registration requirements for foreign investors and corporate filings. "(South Korea's) current dividend policy does not meet the global standard and has been mentioned several times by foreign investors ... In South Korea, unlike other major economies, companies confirm dividend amounts weeks after the so-called ex-date - after which buyers of the stock do not receive the payout - creating uncertainty for investors.

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