In the 21st century, financial contracts came to have a special legal and social characteristics due to an increase in the complexity of related derivatives development and can not be compared with the general level of consumer trade agreements. In the framework of the classical theory of contract regardless of social change and development, financial contracts also have been recognized the meaning, contents and limits of agreement based on the private autonomy of the parties and intents of parties. This study tried to stay away from explaining essence of financial contracts under the influence of the classical theory of contract and attempted to understand the practical meanings of financial contract through the relational contract theory as a new contract theory for social and legal characteristics of financial contract.
Relational contract theory focused on the social relations more important than personal intent and also emphasized on the continuity and flexibility of the contract. Based on this, the contents of contract are determined and modified and also rights and obligations are granted regardless of the intention of the parties. Today, financial transactions tend to be uncertain and long-term contracts under the complex and uncertain financial environment. Relational contract theory that emphasizes social relationships in their internal and external relations of the parties rather than the personal intent will be able to give a lot of implications for our understanding of financial contracts. In particular, in case of financial contracts having a strong personal relationship between the parties, through the principle of changing circumstances, the imposition of a variety of minor duties and reconsideration and expansion of duty to explain, relational characteristics that is not fully explained by the intent of parties will be easy to be understood.