Mirae Asset chief says investment, not dividends, builds winners

Mirae Asset Financial Group Chairman Park Hyeon-joo rejects criticism that disappointing shareholder returns are weighing on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix shares, arguing that investment and corporate fundamentals matter more. “Saying a stock falls because the company does not pay enough dividends is a weak argument,” Park said Wednesday at a dinner with employees of Digital X, formerly Korbit, Korea’s first cryptocurrency exchange acquired and renamed by Mirae Asset Securities in July. “What

2026-08-27 14:40:46:00

Why Korea’s financial watchdogs want to stay in Seoul

South Korea wants to move another wave of public institutions out of the capital region. But unions representing financial regulators and policy bodies warn that decentralization could slow crisis response, weaken oversight and drive skilled employees out. The dispute is intensifying as the government prepares the second phase of its decadeslong effort to spread jobs and economic activity beyond Seoul. A road map initially expected in September may now come in October or November, as the governm

2026-08-26 18:06:55:00

UK investors lead Korean stock sell-off as US funds keep buying

Foreign investors pulled sharply out of South Korean equities in July, with UK investors leading a massive stock sell-off even as US investors remained net buyers, data showed Friday. According to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service, foreign investors net sold 31.7 trillion ($22.9 billion) won worth of listed stocks in July, extending their net-selling streak to seven months. Foreign selling was concentrated on the country's main bourse Kospi, with investors net selling 30.8 trill

2026-08-21 16:06:07:00

Kakao Mobility files for $1b US IPO as TPG seeks exit

Kakao Mobility has moved closer to a potential US stock market debut after reportedly filing confidential IPO documents with US regulators, in a listing expected to raise about $1 billion and provide an exit for its second-largest shareholder, TPG. Citing a report by capital markets publication IFR, IPO market data provider IPOX said Thursday that Kakao Mobility submitted a draft registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission in June. Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and UBS

2026-08-20 14:54:47:00

NPS must lead Korea’s governance reset: expert

South Korea still has a long way to go to eliminate the Korea discount, with the National Pension Service positioned to drive the next phase of corporate governance reform, governance specialist Park Yoo-kyung said. Park spent 17 years overseeing responsible investment and corporate governance in the Asia-Pacific region at APG, the asset manager for Dutch pension fund ABP. She currently serves as a board member and audit committee chair at the Tara Climate Foundation. She has also been nominated

2026-08-19 15:35:42:00

Woori to merge Tongyang, ABL into W55tr life insurer

Woori Financial Group said Tuesday it will merge Tongyang Life Insurance and ABL Life Insurance into a 55 trillion won ($39 billion) insurer, with the combined company targeted for launch in the second half of 2027. The merger represents a major expansion of Woori’s insurance business as the group seeks to reduce its reliance on banking and build stronger nonbank operations. Woori plans to develop the combined insurer into one of its core businesses and a new growth engine. The financial group a

2026-08-18 14:55:49:00

Samsung ‘Ghost shares’ ruling raises cost of brokerage control failures

A Supreme Court ruling against Samsung Securities over its 2018 “ghost shares” scandal has raised the stakes for Korea’s brokerages, showing that internal control failures can trigger civil liability to investors as well as regulatory penalties and trading losses. The top court on Wednesday ordered Samsung Securities to pay about 1.86 billion won ($1.31 million) in damages to the National Pension Service, upholding the compensation awarded by a lower court. The NPS had initially sought 29.9 bill

2026-08-17 14:53:10:00

From rally to rerating: Can Korea make its premium last?

The Kospi has proved it can rally. The harder test is whether Korean companies can keep commanding higher valuations after the momentum fades. That challenge lies at the heart of Korea’s push to turn its decades-old “Korea discount” into a “Korea premium.” This year’s surge brought that goal closer, fueled by governance reform, stronger shareholder returns and a historic semiconductor earnings boom. But the summer correction exposed the rally’s narrow foundations. Samsung Electronics and SK hyni

2026-08-15 16:00:00:00

Kospi rally hits pause, but experts see rebound ahead

The Kospi has lost momentum after a blistering first-half rally, fueling fears that the semiconductor cycle is nearing its peak and casting doubt over the market’s next move. The benchmark has remained range-bound in recent months, and weakening conviction in chip heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix keeps it from recapturing its earlier highs. Does this retreat mark a pause before another advance or will it be the beginning of a prolonged stall? For its 73rd anniversary special edition

2026-08-14 09:00:00:00

Korea flags 36 penny stocks under tougher delisting rules

South Korea has put 36 listed companies on notice under tougher rules designed to accelerate the removal of penny stocks and financially weak firms. The Korea Exchange designated the stocks as administrative issues Wednesday after their share prices or market capitalizations fell below minimum listing requirements. Nine trade on the Kospi and 27 on the Kosdaq. Of the total, 30 were newly designated, while six companies already under administrative issue status received additional grounds for pos

2026-08-13 15:17:33:00