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  South Korean equities log rare double win as decoupling fears grow SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - South Korean equities are logging a rare double win, with both the main KOSPI and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ hitting historic highs, but the synchronized rally is increasingly stirring anxiety that markets are pulling away from economic reality. The benchmark KOSPI climbed to 5,170.81 on Wednesday, setting a fresh record, while the KOSDAQ advanced to 1,133.52. Both indices are up about 20 percent so far this year, extending last year’s outsized gains of January 28, 2026
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  Assets in ETFs Tracking FnGuide Indexes Top 40 Trillion Won Financial data firm FnGuide said Tuesday that total net assets in exchange-traded funds based on indexes it developed have surpassed 40 trillion won. The total topped 30 trillion won about three months ago. Over that period, net assets in the KODEX AI Semiconductor ETF rose about 310%, to 2.1 trillion won from roughly 500 billion won. TIGER Semiconductor TOP10 climbed about 190%, to about 4.1 trillion won from 1.4 trillion won. FnGuide said the gains reflect concentrated demand for relat January 28, 2026
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  South Korea to Require English Disclosures for All KOSPI-Listed Companies Starting Next March Starting in May, the number of listed companies required to file disclosures in English will jump to 265 from 111. Disclosure items will expand and some deadlines will be shortened. To raise the KOSPI market’s international standing, South Korea will also move up the start of mandatory English disclosures for all KOSPI-listed companies to next March, more than a year earlier than planned. The Financial Services Commission said it approved revisions to the “Regulations on Issuance and Disc January 28, 2026
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  Lee Jae Myung Floats Possible Sugar Tax, Sparking Health vs. Inflation Debate President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday raised the possibility of introducing a “sugar levy,” often called a sugar tax, to curb sugar consumption, prompting competing arguments over public health benefits and concerns about higher prices. Lee shared an article on X, formerly Twitter, titled “A sweet addiction stronger than drugs; 80% support introducing a sugar tax,” and asked for public input. “Like tobacco, what about curbing sugar use with a sugar levy and reinvesting the revenue to strength January 28, 2026
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  KOSPI's bull run pushes South Korea to world's 10th-largest stock market SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI continued its bull run, closing at 5,170.81, while the junior KOSDAQ also finished above the 1,100 level at 1,133.52. The weeks-long rally that began at the start of the new year has lifted South Korea's stock market to a valuation of $3.25 trillion, surpassing Germany's $3.22 trillion and making it the world's 10th-largest stock market, just behind Taiwan, according to Bloomberg's compiled data. Wednesda January 28, 2026
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  KSD: 25 Listed Companies Changed Par Value Last Year, Down 12 From Prior Year The Korea Securities Depository said on Tuesday that 25 listed companies, including Young Poong Co., changed their shares’ par value last year, down 12 from the previous year. By market, five companies on the Korea Exchange’s main board and 20 on the Kosdaq carried out par value changes, down two and 10, respectively. Par value changes include stock splits and reverse stock splits. By type, 13 companies conducted stock splits, often aimed at improving trading liquidity, while 12 carried January 28, 2026
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  South Korea’s Kospi Closes at Record 5,170.81; Kosdaq Jumps 4.7% South Korea’s Kospi, which has held above the 5,000 mark, set another record high on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session. The Kosdaq surged more than 4% to finish above 1,130. According to the Korea Exchange, the Kospi rose 85.96 points, or 1.69%, to close at 5,170.81. It opened up 60.54 points, or 1.19%, at 5,145.39 and climbed further on buying by foreign and institutional investors. In the main market, foreigners bought a net 574.2 billion won and institutions bought a January 28, 2026
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  South Korea Expands Youth Internships, but Participants Say Impact Is Limited South Korea’s “youth intern” program at public institutions, introduced to give young people work experience and serve as a bridge to full-time jobs, is drawing criticism that it is not delivering meaningful employment benefits in practice. The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Wednesday the government plans to expand youth intern hiring this year to 24,000, up 3,000 from last year. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said the government will “actively support” youn January 28, 2026
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  Hanwha Life Sells $25 Million in Performance-Based Retirement Annuities in 6 Months Hanwha Life said Tuesday that sales of three performance-based retirement pension insurance products reached about 25 billion won in the six months since their launch. As of the end of December 2025, that marks a 397% increase from the 6.3 billion won in assets under management across five existing performance-based insurance funds, the company said. Hanwha Life attributed the growth to product designs that reflect major pension funds’ asset-allocation strategies and to investor confidence January 28, 2026
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  South Korea to Launch Public Growth Fund in June, Begins Design Talks South Korea’s Public Participation Growth Fund is expected to be launched and sold around June. The Financial Services Commission said it held its first task force meeting on Tuesday to discuss the fund’s product structure and management plan. The policy fund is designed to let ordinary investors make long-term investments in advanced strategic industries through a publicly offered fund. The public fund will spread money across multiple sub-funds managed by private investment professiona January 28, 2026