Recirculation Prohibition of Fair Value through Other Comprehensive Income on Realization and Earnings Management

In accordance with K-IFRS 1109, financial instruments are classified to amortized cost (AC), fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI) and fair value through profit or loss (FVPL). And disposal gains are prohibited to be recirculated for net income when FVOCI financial instruments would be sold in the future, so-called recirculation prohibition. This research investigates whether accumulated other comprehensive income of available-for sale financial assets(AFS) under K-IFRS 1039, could affect reclassified amounts to the FVPL securities from the AFS securities. Also, this study investigates the effects of the reported income on the reclassified FVPL, because CEOs are likely to try earnings management when net income is predicted to be less than target or is low, comparing other firms. As a result of empirical analysis, first, I find that accumulated other comprehensive income of the AFS has a positive impact on the reclassified FVPL. Second, level of reporting income has no significant impact on the reclassified FVPL. Third, interaction effects are significantly positive on the firms which have more other comprehensive income and less level of reported income. Fourth, the effects of the bank and securities are more distinct than those of the manufactures. This study is the first research to investigate earnings management through AFS at the timing of the first adoption of K-IFRS 1109. Empirical results of this study provide evidence of earnings management on the reclassification of FVPL which gives meaningful implications to regulators, academic researchers and auditors.