Woori Bank headquarters in central Seoul. (Newsis) Woori Bank said Tuesday that its London trading center has secured approval from UK regulators to sell derivatives products to clients and conduct securities operations, advancing the lender's push to expand its capital markets business in London.The center received approval from the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority on May 29, about 10 months after filing its application, following a process to meet local regulatory requirements and build an internal control framework, the bank said.Woori Bank began preparing to launch the London Trading Center in January. The latest approval is expected to help position the center as a hub for drawing foreign investment into won-denominated assets.At the new center, the bank plans to offer foreign investors in London package deals that combine won-denominated government bond investments with currency hedging, using the city's deep liquidity and global network to broaden access to Korean assets. Expanding beyond conventional deposits and lending, it also plans to offer foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives services to Korean companies and other clients in the UK.The center plans to start operations this month after completing internal procedures."The approval for the London Trading Center is a first step toward giving foreign investors easier access to won-denominated assets," a Woori Bank official said. "We will continue to expand our noninterest income base by linking London’s capital market with Korea’s financial market."