Why Tesla-SpaceX merger could mean tax bills for Korean investors

South Korean investors holding a stake in Tesla — the most widely owned US stock in the country — could face a 22 percent capital gains tax if Elon Musk proceeds with a potential merger between Tesla and SpaceX. Speculation has intensified after SpaceX merged with artificial intelligence startup xAI earlier this month, fueling talk that Musk may integrate the combined entity with Tesla to accelerate his AI ambitions. For Korean shareholders, however, the issue is not strategy, but taxation. If T

Feb. 24, 2026

Nomura becomes first to set 8,000 Kospi target

Nomura became the first brokerage to project the Kospi at 8,000 in the first half of the year, setting a new high-water mark for targets as South Korea’s benchmark extends a record-breaking rally. Nomura Financial Investment, the Seoul unit of Japan’s Nomura Holdings, raised its first-half outlook to 7,500 in a base case and 8,000 in a bull case in a report released Monday. From the current 5,900 level, that implies potential gains of roughly 27 percent to 36 percent over the next four months. C

Feb. 24, 2026

Seoul stocks open lower on US tariff uncertainty

South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday, tracking overnight declines on Wall Street amid renewed uncertainty over US trade policy. The weakness followed losses in US markets as investors reacted to US President Donald Trump's push to implement new tariffs after a Supreme Court ruling struck down his sweeping reciprocal import taxes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 32.70 points, or 0.56 percent, to 5,813.39 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Monday, the Kospi closed at a

Feb. 24, 2026

Reshoring tax scheme loses timing edge as market tide turns

The government’s Reshoring Investment Account, or RIA, unveiled in mid-December as a rapid response to heavy overseas equity flows and currency volatility, remains stalled in the National Assembly — even as market conditions have shifted significantly. The tax-incentivized scheme was designed to encourage investors to bring overseas gains back into domestic markets, easing pressure on the won. Officials initially targeted a first-quarter launch, pending legislative approval. Two months later, th

Feb. 23, 2026

Seoul stocks open sharply higher on tech, auto gains

South Korean stocks opened over 1 percent higher Monday, tracking gains on Wall Street in the previous session, as investors bought technology and automobile shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 92.22 points, or 1.59 percent, to 5,900.75 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The KOSPI extended its recent rally after closing at a record 5,808.53 on Friday, buoyed by optimism over artificial intelligence and gains in chipmakers and other large-cap technology stocks. On Frida

Feb. 23, 2026

Mirae Asset tops W40tr in market cap

Mirae Asset Securities has overtaken major banking groups in market capitalization, lifted by surging earnings and a roaring equity market. As of Friday’s close, the brokerage was valued at 40.2 trillion won ($27.8 billion), its first finish above the 40 trillion won mark. Shares ended at 70,900 won after touching an all-time intraday high of 74,400 won. The valuation places Mirae Asset ahead of Hana Financial Group and Woori Financial Group, which stood at 29.95 trillion won and 36.54 trillion

Feb. 22, 2026

Why UK tech firm TeraView picked Korea for listing

While high-profile Korean startups such as Toss and Yanolja chase Wall Street valuations — following Coupang’s US listing — a British chip-equipment maker is betting on Seoul instead. TeraView, a UK firm that commercialized terahertz technology for ultraprecision semiconductor inspection, chose to list on Kosdaq rather than in London or New York. The company counts Samsung Electronics, Intel and Nvidia among its customers, supplying critical components used in advanced chip manufacturing. “TeraV

Feb. 22, 2026

Brokerage stocks rally amid market upswing

South Korea’s brokerage industry has seen robust gains in share prices, driven largely by higher earnings supported by increased trading activity amid the ongoing stock market rally. The KRX Securities Index, a basket tracking major brokerage firms, has surged 100.4 percent year-to-date as of daytime trading's close Friday, marking the strongest gain among major sector indices, according to the Korea Exchange. The rise was nearly double that of the second-best performer, the KRX Semiconductor In

Feb. 20, 2026

Seoul stocks open at record high above 5,700 amid uncertainties

South Korean stocks opened higher Friday despite overnight losses on Wall Street caused by increased geopolitical risks and market uncertainties. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 45.86 points, or 0.81 percent, to 5,723.11 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The KOSPI has been on a bull run in recent sessions and set a new closing record of 5,677.25 on Thursday amid optimism surrounding artificial intelligence and subsequent gains in chipmakers and other big-cap technology sh

Feb. 20, 2026

Seoul stocks jump 3% on chip rally

South Korean stocks surpassed the 5,600-point mark for the first time ever Thursday, boosted by sharp gains in semiconductor and other blue-chip tech shares amid optimism about artificial intelligence. The local currency fell against the dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 170.24 points, or 3.09 percent, to close at an all-time high of 5,677.25. The previous record high was set on Feb. 12, when the index closed at 5,522.27. After a three-day break for the Lunar New Year

Feb. 19, 2026

Seoul stocks open at fresh high above 5,600

South Korean stocks opened at a record high Thursday, with the benchmark index breaching the 5,600-point mark for the first time, driven by rallies in large-cap tech shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index opened at 5,642.09, up 135.08 points, or 2.45 percent, from the previous session's close. The market resumed trading the day after a three-day closure for the Lunar New Year holiday. (Yonhap)

Feb. 19, 2026

Foreign holdings of Korean stocks nearly double on Kospi rally

Foreign ownership of Korean equities nearly doubled in 2025 as the Kospi’s world-beating rally drove a surge in market value, with the figure continuing to snowball as the index shows no signs of cooling. Overseas investors held 1,326.8 trillion won ($918.9 billion) worth of shares listed on Seoul markets at the end of December, according to Financial Supervisory Service data released Wednesday, up 97 percent from 673.7 trillion won a year earlier. The increase came even as foreigners posted net

Feb. 18, 2026

Overseas stock investments triple to record high in 2025: BOK

South Koreans' overseas stock investments nearly tripled from a year earlier to an all-time high in 2025, expanding to a level comparable to the country's annual current account surplus, central bank data showed Wednesday. Residents' combined overseas equity investments reached $114.35 billion last year, up from $42.16 billion in 2024, according to the data compiled by the Bank of Korea. The figure is more than double the previous record of $68.53 billion set in 2021. By investor type, asset man

Feb. 18, 2026

Korea sees sharp rise in ETF assets

Amid a buoyant domestic stock market, South Korea's exchange-traded fund market has seen a sharp rise in net assets, with the pace of growth accelerating further. The total net assets of ETFs listed here stood at 354.74 trillion won ($246 billion) as of Monday, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association. The figure combines products that track domestic and overseas equities, as well as other underlying assets. This marks an increase of nearly 50 trillion won in about a month, after

Feb. 16, 2026

KOSPI snaps 4-day winning streak despite briefly touching new high

South Korean stocks closed lower Friday, snapping a four-day winning streak despite briefly touching a fresh high during midday trading as investors braced for a five-day closure of the market for the Lunar New Year holiday. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 15.26 points, or 0.28 percent, to end at 5,507.01, after reaching a record high of over 5,580 during intraday trading. Trade volume was heavy at 1.28 billion shares worth 30.3

Feb. 13, 2026