Macquarie wins prelim banking license in S.Korea

SEOUL, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Australia's Macquarie Group Ltd (MQG.AX) has won a preliminary license to start banking operations in South Korea, a regulatory official and Macquarie said on Thursday.

The official at the Financial Supervisory Service said Macquarie aimed to win final approval within the year to set up a branch in Seoul.

Macquarie has been engaged in brokerage, and project and infrastructure financing in South Korea, and is planning to expand into lending and foreign exchange-related businesses. (Reporting by Kim Yeon-hee; Editing by Chris Lewis)