파생상품의 법적 개념에 관한 소고

Abstract

The value of derivatives is decided by the fluctuation of its underlying assets, and has the characteristic of the final settlement being made in the future. Based on such nature, the concept of derivatives is defined in various ways depending on its use. The legal concept of derivatives is not only a conceptual requisite of an administrative regulation that delimits the sphere of business to approved entities, but is also subject to various regulations for the protection of investors, and may even become requisites of a criminal case. That is why definitude in the concept of derivatives is required. However, 『Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act』(hereinafter, ‘FISCMA’) adopts a comprehensive concept-defining method and thus may have limits in the clarity of its concept. This paper introduces the concept of ‘risk transference’ and ‘financial instrument productivity’ as characteristics of derivatives so that clarifying the legal concept of derivatives defined in the current FISCMA is done more easily. FISCMA comprehensively defines the concept of ‘financial investment instruments’ and establishes ‘securities’ and ‘derivatives’ as its subcategories, in which the term ‘derivatives’ is defined as a contractual right that is either a forward, option or swap, depending on its nature. On the other hand, derivatives-combined securities is defined within the ‘securities’ category according to FISCMA, so it prohibits any financial investment instrument to be ‘securities’ and ‘derivatives’ at the same time. In effect, the concepts of derivatives and securities are defined exclusive of each other. Such definition may cause confusion on the concept of derivatives, such as whether or not one has to pay anything further on any ground, in addition to the money, etc., that the investors paid at the time of acquiring such instruments. Unnecessary distinction of derivatives-combined securities and derivatives contributes to the confusion furthermore. This paper suggests not stipulating derivatives-combined securities on its own as it is currently done, but regulating derivatives-combined securities in separate aspects of derivatives and of debt securities, so that confusion on the concept of derivatives can be avoided as well as establishing the risks of each aspect to investors in a more clear fashion. Such change can bring credit risk of debt securities to light and a coherent application of regulations on derivatives.