Journalist

Choi Song-hee
  • Hana Securities Raises Tes Target to 117,000 Won on Expected DRAM, NAND Gains
    Hana Securities Raises Tes Target to 117,000 Won on Expected DRAM, NAND Gains Hana Securities on Tuesday raised its target price for Tes to 117,000 won from 67,000 won, saying the semiconductor equipment maker is positioned to benefit from both DRAM and NAND investment. It maintained its “buy” rating. Analyst Kim Rok-ho said Tes’ first-quarter revenue is forecast to rise 16% from a year earlier to 97.7 billion won, with operating profit up 11% to 18.0 billion won. He said Tes continues to benefit from new DRAM investment and NAND conversion investment tied to Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek P4 (fourth plant) in Gyeonggi province and SK hynix’s M15X plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong province. Kim said solid memory demand is prompting customers to move faster than expected on capital spending, increasing the likelihood that the scale of DRAM conversion investment will exceed earlier estimates. He said Tes could post quarter-on-quarter growth each quarter, supported by expanded customer investment and what he described as company-specific growth drivers. Kim said new DRAM-driven equipment, known as BSD, is receiving positive feedback for use in HBM, or high-bandwidth memory, and could begin contributing to revenue as early as the second half. He added that ACL, Tes’ main equipment line, is also increasingly likely to be reflected in second-half results. With shipments of those tools expected to lift average selling prices, Kim said Tes may see not only top-line growth but also improved profitability. Kim said expectations for expanded investment by memory makers and for new fabs from next year have pushed the average price-to-earnings ratio for global front-end equipment makers to 35.5 times. He said Korean companies could also benefit and potentially track the higher valuation multiples of global peers.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 09:01:09
  • Korean Retail Investors Sell Overseas Stocks as RIA Accounts Draw Money Back Home
    Korean Retail Investors Sell Overseas Stocks as RIA Accounts Draw Money Back Home Korean retail investors have been selling across major overseas stock markets at the same time, and attention is turning to whether that money will flow back into domestic shares. Data from the Korea Securities Depository’s Seibro portal show that from April 1 to 24, Korean individual investors were net sellers of U.S. stocks worth $1.28555 billion (about 1.8915 trillion won). Over the same period, they were net sellers of Japanese stocks worth $9.48 million (about 14 billion won), Hong Kong stocks worth $9.48 million, and Chinese stocks worth $18.26 million (about 27 billion won). With that trend in view, market participants are also watching the government’s new domestic market return account, known as an RIA. The program offers a capital gains tax break if proceeds from selling overseas stocks are invested in domestic stocks for a set period of at least one year, aiming to encourage overseas investment funds to return home. The RIA has grown quickly since its launch. The Korea Financial Investment Association said that as of April 23, cumulative RIA sign-ups totaled 168,347 accounts, with balances of 1.1051 trillion won. That compares with 17,965 accounts on the first day, meaning the number of accounts rose more than ninefold and balances surpassed 1 trillion won within about a month. Market experts have said the tax incentive could reduce the burden on gains from overseas investing and lift investors’ effective returns. Some also see the capital gains tax reduction as a buffer that can encourage reinvestment after short-term profit-taking. Analysts also say the RIA could help stabilize supply and demand and expand liquidity by drawing retail money into the local market, while serving as a policy signal that could bolster confidence and strengthen the base for mid- to long-term investing. Still, they caution that while the RIA may bring short-term inflows, longer-term results will depend on the competitiveness of Korea’s stock market. Without improved corporate earnings and a recovery in market trust, they say tax benefits alone may not sustain the shift. As the RIA spreads rapidly, some in the brokerage industry say investor interest is rising, but concerns are also being raised about the potential for distorted investment strategies.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 16:58:21
  • Korea Exchange to Hold Regional Briefings on Corporate Governance Report Disclosures
    Korea Exchange to Hold Regional Briefings on Corporate Governance Report Disclosures The Korea Exchange said it will hold a relay series of regional briefings this month in four cities — Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Daejeon — for disclosure officers and others at KOSPI-listed companies on how to file corporate governance reports. The exchange said on the 27th the program was planned to help regional listed firms make smooth disclosures after the corporate governance report filing requirement was expanded this year to all KOSPI-listed companies. The sessions will explain the core purpose of the governance disclosure system and focus on how to prepare the reports, including examples of strong disclosures. A briefing for KOSPI-listed companies in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province was held at the Busan International Finance Center on the 27th. Additional sessions are scheduled in Daegu (28), Gwangju (29) and Daejeon (30). The exchange said it expects the briefings to raise understanding and interest in corporate governance among regional listed companies and to support the stable settlement of the governance disclosure system. It also said it plans to actively support companies’ governance improvements and smooth filings through one-on-one consulting and distribution of guidance materials for newly covered governance disclosure companies next year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 15:42:15
  • Korea Exchange Joins Voluntary Carbon Market Alliance, Plans KRX Carbon Credit Market
    Korea Exchange Joins Voluntary Carbon Market Alliance, Plans KRX Carbon Credit Market The Korea Exchange said April 27 it participated in the launch ceremony for the “Korea-style voluntary carbon market alliance,” hosted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The exchange said the event brought together the ministry, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other related organizations, along with large companies, mid-sized firms, startups and financial institutions, to discuss how to build a voluntary carbon market. At the ceremony, the exchange announced plans to open the “KRX Carbon Credit Market.” It said it will set up a listing review system to ensure confidence in the quality of carbon credits listed and will work with the government and domestic carbon credit registries to build a stable and efficient platform. It also said it plans to pursue cross-border linked trading by cooperating with global carbon credit exchanges, registries and investors, and to attract overseas liquidity to the KRX Carbon Credit Market. In congratulatory remarks, Korea Exchange Chairman Jeong Eun-bo said the voluntary carbon market is becoming “a necessity, not an option,” as part of corporate social responsibility. He said the exchange will develop the KRX Carbon Credit Market into a global hub, citing its experience operating a carbon emissions trading market for 11 years.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 15:07:17
  • Hanmi Semiconductor shares jump after Chairman Kwak buys company stock
    Hanmi Semiconductor shares jump after Chairman Kwak buys company stock Hanmi Semiconductor shares surged after news that its largest shareholder bought more company stock. According to the Korea Exchange, as of 2:45 p.m. on the 27th, Hanmi Semiconductor was trading at 374,500 won, up 26.73% from the previous session. The stock hit an intraday high of 379,500 won, a record. In a regulatory filing, the company said Chairman Kwak Dong-shin acquired 9,576 shares through open-market purchases. The purchase totaled about 3 billion won, at an average price of 315,407 won per share. After the transaction, Kwak’s stake rose to 33.57%. Hanmi Semiconductor said the purchase was intended to boost corporate value. Kwak previously bought additional shares in January and in November last year. Since 2023, his cumulative purchases have been reported at about 56.5 billion won. Hanmi Semiconductor said it maintains the No. 1 global market share in TC bonders used to produce HBM. With mass production of HBM4 ramping up this year, it is supplying “TC Bonder 4” to global manufacturers. It plans to launch a next-generation “Wide TC Bonder” by year-end to support future HBM production. The company also plans to release a second-generation hybrid bonder prototype within the year for the hybrid bonding market, which is expected to be applied to full-scale mass production starting in 2029. It plans to begin operating a hybrid bonder factory in the first half of next year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 14:51:45
  • Korea IR Council Holds Inauguration Ceremony for New Chairman Kim Gi-gyeong
    Korea IR Council Holds Inauguration Ceremony for New Chairman Kim Gi-gyeong The Korea IR Council said Monday it held an inauguration ceremony for its 10th chairman, Kim Gi-gyeong. According to the council, Kim, born in 1966, earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Seoul National University. He previously served at the Korea Exchange, including as head of the Stock Market Department at the KOSPI Market Division, deputy head of the Management Support Division, deputy head of the KOSDAQ Market Division and head of the Management Support Division. The Korea IR Council began in 2009 as a nonprofit incorporated association established by the Korea Exchange. It has hosted corporate investor relations briefings to support capital market development, operated training programs to cultivate IR professionals and organized IR awards. Through its affiliated Corporate Research Center, it also provides research on small and midsize companies, contributing to a sound investment culture.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 14:44:17
  • Lino Industrial Shares Slide More Than 14% on News of Major Shareholder Stake Sale
    Lino Industrial Shares Slide More Than 14% on News of Major Shareholder Stake Sale Semiconductor test socket maker Lino Industrial’s shares were down more than 14% on Monday, a move widely attributed to news that its largest shareholder plans to sell a sizable stake. According to the Korea Exchange, Lino Industrial was trading at 106,500 won as of 9:55 a.m., down 14.39% from the previous session. The company said late April 24 that CEO Lee Chae-yoon plans to sell 7 million common shares through after-hours block trades over 30 days from May 26 to June 24. The sale would amount to 9.18% of total shares outstanding and was valued at 863.1 billion won based on the April 23 closing price of 123,300 won. Lino Industrial said the actual price per share could differ, adding that the purpose of the transaction is “asset management through the sale of shares held.” Some in the securities industry have also suggested the plan could be part of preparations to fund gift taxes for transferring shares to his children, citing Lee’s age of 75. Lino Industrial ranks sixth by market capitalization on the KOSDAQ and posted its best-ever annual results last year. On a consolidated basis, revenue rose 33.9% from a year earlier to 372.5 billion won, while operating profit increased 42.5% to 177.0 billion won. Its operating margin climbed 2.9 percentage points to 47.5%, an unusually high level for the industry.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 10:09:51
  • iM Securities Raises Hyundai Steel Target to 50,000 Won on Expected Q2 Rebound
    iM Securities Raises Hyundai Steel Target to 50,000 Won on Expected Q2 Rebound iM Securities said Hyundai Steel's first-quarter results missed market expectations, but forecast a rebound in the second quarter with solid momentum likely to extend into the third quarter. The brokerage raised its target price to 50,000 won from 46,000 won and maintained its "buy" rating. Kim Yun-sang, an analyst at iM Securities, said first-quarter consolidated operating profit came to 15.7 billion won, down 63.7% from the previous quarter and below the market consensus of 44.3 billion won. Kim said the company’s headquarters operations swung to an operating loss of 72.5 billion won, citing lower prices for automotive steel sheet, higher raw material costs and rising scrap prices. Those factors narrowed roll margins in both the blast furnace and long steel businesses, he said. He added that subsidiaries performed steadily, supporting expectations for improved results in the second quarter. Kim said subsidiaries benefited from recognition of unrealized gains at overseas coil centers, improved business conditions and tariff refunds at Hyundai Steel Pipe, and the impact of stronger nickel prices at BNG Steel. He forecast second-quarter consolidated operating profit of 127.0 billion won, up 706.3% from the previous quarter. Kim attributed the improvement to higher hot-rolled steel prices and rising rebar distribution prices, which he said should widen roll margins in the blast furnace and long steel units and return headquarters operations to a profit of 80.0 billion won. Kim said macro factors such as energy costs and interest rates remain unfavorable for steel prices, but global steel prices have recently been firm. He said gains in rebar and hot-rolled prices are continuing, and an increase in automotive steel sheet prices is expected during the third quarter. He projected that these price increases would support solid performance at least through the third quarter. However, he said the recent price rise appears driven by supply factors and may not apply evenly across all products given differing demand conditions by end-use industry. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 08:53:35
  • Stablecoin-Linked Stocks Jump in South Korea on U.S. CLARITY Act Hopes
    Stablecoin-Linked Stocks Jump in South Korea on U.S. CLARITY Act Hopes As the U.S. Congress moves toward taking up the CLARITY Act, a key digital-asset regulation bill, South Korea’s market for stablecoin-related plays is reacting quickly. Expectations that global rules will be clarified, along with domestic policy signals, have helped lift related shares and investor interest. According to the securities industry on the 22nd, investors are increasingly betting that if regulators set standards to classify assets as securities or commodities, regulatory uncertainty will ease and mainstream adoption will accelerate. Analysts also say that if oversight authority is clearly divided, institutional participation could increase and market restructuring could move faster. The mood has been reinforced by the release of guidance from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which market participants viewed as a more concrete policy signal. As the direction of global regulation becomes clearer, expectations have spread quickly in South Korea. Attention intensified after Shin Hyun-song, a candidate for Bank of Korea governor, said stablecoins “can coexist with central bank digital currency.” The remark was seen as a shift from the monetary authorities’ previously cautious stance, fueling expectations that institutional discussions could gain speed. With overseas and domestic factors converging, stablecoin-related shares have strengthened in South Korea, with buying focused on payments, fintech and blockchain-infrastructure companies. Funds have concentrated on names seen as potential policy beneficiaries, widening short-term volatility. Many in the market say the rally is not just a short-lived theme trade. They argue that if stablecoins take hold as payment and remittance infrastructure, they could drive broader structural change across the financial industry, supporting a longer-term growth narrative. Still, analysts caution that beneficiaries may differ depending on who issues stablecoins and how regulation is defined, and that expectations and uncertainty are likely to coexist until policy direction becomes clearer.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 16:33:05
  • Aluminum Stocks Jump in South Korea on Fears U.S.-Iran Truce Talks Could Collapse
    Aluminum Stocks Jump in South Korea on Fears U.S.-Iran Truce Talks Could Collapse Aluminum-related shares surged in South Korea on Tuesday, as concerns that U.S.-Iran truce talks could fall apart fueled expectations of supply disruptions and higher prices. According to the Korea Exchange, Sam-A Aluminum was up 23.08% at 72,000 won as of 1:56 p.m., from the previous session’s close. The stock rose as high as 76,000 won during the session. Other aluminum-linked shares also gained, including Choil Aluminum, up 12.94%, Namsun Aluminum, up 2.90%, and Aluko, up 2.53%. In a report Tuesday, Samsung Futures researcher Ok Ji-hoe cited global commodities broker Mercuria as saying the global aluminum market is facing a severe “black swan” risk this year due to the war in the Middle East. Mercuria estimated the aluminum market could face a supply shortfall of at least 2 million tons by the end of this year. The Middle East has about 7 million tons of annual aluminum smelting capacity, about 9% of expected global supply this year. Ok said the U.S. aluminum premium hit a record high of $2,521.5 per ton, while the European aluminum premium rose to $599 per ton, the highest in about four years.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 14:12:18