Durability of Seoul's bull questioned as leverage exceeds retail trade SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) — As the KOSPI correction enters a third week, retail investors remain the primary buffer against relentless foreign selling, but much of their firepower is borrowed, raising questions about the durability of Seoul's record-setting bull market. Outstanding margin loans and stock-backed lending averaged a record 61.98 trillion won ($39.8 billion) per trading day during the April-June quarter, exceeding the combined average daily trading value of 52.5 trillion won o July 6, 2026

Stock investing in Korea now means buying Samsung and SK hynix SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) — The hotter South Korea's stock market becomes, the narrower it grows. Investing in Korean equities is now synonymous with owning Samsung Electronics or SK hynix. "People don't ask whether you own stocks anymore. They ask whether you own Samjeonnix," insurance planner Lee Min-joo said, referring to the Korean investor shorthand combining Samjeon (Samsung Electronics) and SK hynix. "Those two stocks dominate almost every conversation I have with July 3, 2026

Seoul tanks again, so who pays for the leverage party? SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - A gambler should know the risks. Reckless leveraged bets often end badly. But when a debt-fueled stock frenzy unravels and defaults pile up, South Korea faces a familiar question: who should bear the cost — individual investors or regulators? Another painful correction hit the Seoul stock market, which until just a week ago had appeared almost invincible after an extraordinary 18-month rally. The KOSPI tumbled nearly 8 percent on Thursday, while the KOSDAQ fell alm July 2, 2026

KOSDAQ at 30 bares Peter Pan syndrome SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) – KOSDAQ, South Korea's answer to the Nasdaq, turned 30 on Wednesday. But the celebration was notably subdued as the junior market remains trapped in a kind of Peter Pan syndrome, unable to match the spectacular rise of its bigger sibling, the KOSPI. While the benchmark KOSPI has quadrupled over the past 18 months, KOSDAQ has barely moved. After standing at 925 eighteen months ago, it closed its 30th anniversary at 929.35. The market debuted at 1,000 points on Jul July 1, 2026

Stocks become family business in Korea SEOUL, June 26 (AJP) - From cradle to grave. That's the extent of the stock craze sweeping South Korea. Active trading accounts have increased by more than 10 million this year, with even toddlers joining the market as parents increasingly open brokerage accounts in their children's names as part of long-term financial planning. Economists say the trend reflects a broader shift in how Korean households save and invest for the next generation, although some warn it could also deepen weal June 26, 2026

Leverage handover arrives even as KOSPI party goes on SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - South Korea's stock market is hot, volatile and increasingly dependent on borrowed momentum. Government-approved leveraged exchange-traded funds have added another layer of risk, producing side effects within weeks of their launch and prompting an unusual public mea culpa from regulators. Single-stock leveraged ETFs tied to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which allow investors to bet on twice the daily movement of the shares, plunged 24 to 25 percent during this wee June 24, 2026

Korea's new obsession: borrowing to buy stocks, not homes SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - South Korea's stock craze has reached a point where borrowing to buy shares is becoming more socially acceptable than borrowing to buy an apartment. The shift reflects a profound change in a country long defined by its obsession with real estate, as millions of Koreans pour into a handful of AI-related stocks in pursuit of rapid wealth creation. Tuesday's selloff offered a reminder of how fragile that enthusiasm can be. The benchmark KOSPI crashed nearly 10 perc June 23, 2026