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Lee Yeon-woo

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Lee Yeon-woo is a financial journalist at The Korea Times. Her wide range of reporting includes policies, macroeconomics, stock market, companies and even crypto. She is passionate about connecting the dots in Korean finance and making it easier for foreign nationals to understand. Based on her previous experience as a national reporter, she also has a keen interest in social issues within the sector, including gender equality and ESG. Your tips and insights are always appreciated. You can send them to yanu@koreatimes.co.kr.

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Economy

KOSPI edges lower as chip weakness, inflation concerns keep investors cautious

The KOSPI edged lower Friday as investors remained cautious, with weakness in chip stocks and lingering inflation concerns over the Middle East conflict keeping risk appetite in check. The benchmark index closed at 6,258.77, down 0.6 percent from the previous session. It opened 1.09 percent higher but gave up its early gains and slipped into negative territory. Foreign investors sold a net 858.1 billion won ($605.7 million) worth of shares, while institutional and retail investors bought a net 579 billion won and 267 billion won, respectively. SK hynix fell 4.88 percent to close at 1.422 million won, while Samsung Electronics edged up 0.22 percent to finish at 231,000 won. Reports that Nvidia is considering lowering the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) specifications for its Rubin Ultra platform dampened sentiment toward chip stocks. SK hynix, which has greater exposure to HBM, came under pressure and dragged the benchmark lower. Still, Micron reiterated that memory supply remains tight, noting that memory chips now account for as much as 50 percent of the value of artificial intelligence comp

Aug 7, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
KOSPI edges lower as chip weakness, inflation concerns keep investors cautious
Economy

Time for won to catch up with Korea's economic role: Deutsche Bank

Korea accounts for roughly 2 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), ranks among the world's largest exporters of advanced manufactured goods and is home to strategically important industries. Yet its currency plays a modest financial role relative to the country's economic and industrial weight, according to Deutsche Bank, Friday. In two recent Asia thematic strategy notes, the investment bank said Korea sits at the intersection of three key structural forces: ally-shoring, artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investment and diversification away from China-related supply risks. These forces are likely to persist for years, directing capital toward industries where Korea already possesses scale, technological leadership and established industrial ecosystems, including semiconductors, batteries, shipbuilding, defense and robotics, the bank said. "The world is increasingly investing in the industries where Korea already leads," said Perry Kojodjojo, an Asian FX strategist at Deutsche Bank. "Manufacturing value added, high-tech exports and current account balances compare fa

Aug 7, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Time for won to catch up with Korea's economic role: Deutsche Bank
Business

Flexible digital rules could add 21,000 jobs in Korea: Oxford Economics

A more flexible digital regulatory environment could increase startup formation in Korea by 15 percent and venture capital investment by nearly 20 percent, creating about 21,000 additional startup jobs by 2035, research showed Thursday. The findings come from a new Oxford Economics study, "Digital Regulations and the Startup Ecosystem in South Korea," which examined how regulatory choices could affect the country's startup sector. Under a more enabling policy framework, Korea could see about 240 additional startups formed each year and 2.4 trillion won ($1.7 billion) more in annual venture capital investment between 2026 and 2035. By contrast, a more restrictive approach could reduce startup formation by 8 percent and investment by 10 percent. That would amount to about 130 fewer startups and 1.3 trillion won less in investment annually, as well as around 12,000 fewer startup jobs by 2035. The report said Korea's digital regulatory system places strong emphasis on privacy, security and national interests, drawing in part on approaches pioneered in the European Union. "South Korea's startu

Aug 6, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Flexible digital rules could add 21,000 jobs in Korea: Oxford Economics
Tech & Science

LinqAlpha names financial veteran John Chang to board

LinqAlpha, an AI-powered investment research platform, said Wednesday that it appointed global investment banking veteran John Chang as a member of its board of directors. Chang is a financial industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in global capital markets. He previously served as the Korea country head at Barclays and held senior leadership roles for the Asia-Pacific region at Deutsche Bank. He currently serves as co-founder and general partner of cross-border venture capital firm Access Ventures, where he focuses on investing in global technology companies and fostering startup ecosystems. According to LinqAlpha, Chang has served as the company's strategic adviser since last year, helping expand partnerships with global financial institutions and shape its international business strategy. With his appointment, the company said it will accelerate the execution of its global growth strategy at the board level. "LinqAlpha combines outstanding AI technology with strong execution capabilities to transform investment research and due diligence for institutional investors,"

Aug 6, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
LinqAlpha names financial veteran John Chang to board
Economy

KOSPI jumps nearly 4% as AI investment sentiment improves

Korea's two main stock markets rallied in tandem Wednesday, as renewed optimism over artificial intelligence (AI) investment lifted the KOSPI and continued retail buying fueled the Kosdaq's advance. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,598.26, up 3.76 percent from the previous session. The index opened 3.85 percent higher and soon triggered a buy-side sidecar, marking the 22nd such activation this year. Institutional and retail investors were net sellers of 280.2 billion won ($196.6 million) and 1.18 trillion won worth of shares, respectively. Foreign investors were net buyers of 1.45 trillion won. SK hynix rose 5.77 percent to close at 1,668,000 won, while Samsung Electronics gained 2.5 percent to finish at 246,000 won. The two market heavyweights posted strong gains as investor confidence in the semiconductor sector remained firm. Hyperscalers continued to ramp up AI spending while demonstrating tangible returns on those investments. Sentiment was further boosted by reports that the world's three major memory chipmakers have already sold out their 2027 DRAM and high-bandwidth memory producti

Aug 5, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
KOSPI jumps nearly 4% as AI investment sentiment improves
Cryptocurrency

Bithumb's IPO push clouded by complex ownership, regulatory scrutiny

Bithumb is renewing its push for an initial public offering (IPO), but the cryptocurrency exchange still faces significant hurdles stemming from its complex ownership structure and heightened regulatory scrutiny, industry officials said Wednesday. The company has been pursuing an IPO since 2020 but has been unable to complete the process for more than six years. One of the biggest unresolved obstacles to its listing is its complex ownership structure. In simplified terms, Bithumb's ownership chain runs from Lee Jung-hoon, the former chairman and founder of Bithumb Holdings, through Bithumb Holdings and ultimately to Bithumb. However, several investment firms sit between Lee and Bithumb Holdings, while numerous companies and individuals are linked through a tangled web of shareholding relationships. According to filings with the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), Lee owns a 50 percent stake in SG Brain Technology Consulting (SG BTC), a Singapore-based company at the top of the exchange’s ownership structure. BK Group Chairman Kim Byung-gun, a plastic surgeon, is the second-largest sha

Aug 5, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Bithumb's IPO push clouded by complex ownership, regulatory scrutiny
Politics

DPK official warns against affair allegations over viral cheek-poking video

Lee Ji-eun, left, head of the Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) Mapo A district chapter in Seoul, pokes DPK leadership candidate Jung Chung-rae in the cheek during the party's joint campaign speech event for the Chungcheong region, Saturday. After footage of the moment went viral, Lee apologized Tuesday for the gesture but warned of legal action against those alleging that she and Jung were having an affair. Screenshot from YouTube

Aug 4, 2026By Lee Yeon-woophoto
DPK official warns against affair allegations over viral cheek-poking video
Economy

Kosdaq gains momentum as chip stocks jitter

Korean stocks ended mixed Tuesday, as the tech-heavy Kosdaq extended its rally on expectations of stronger investor inflows while continued weakness in major chipmakers weighed on the benchmark KOSPI. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,358.95, up 1.62 percent from the previous session. The index climbed to 6,389.40 shortly after the opening bell but reversed course later in the day. Foreign and institutional investors sold a net 369.7 billion won ($257.7 million) and 539.1 billion won worth of shares, respectively. Retail investors, meanwhile, bought a net 810 billion won. SK hynix rose 0.64 percent to close at 1,577,000 won, while Samsung Electronics gained 0.21 percent to finish at 240,000 won. Sentiment toward memory chipmakers continued to weaken overnight following reports that China's largest memory chipmaker, CXMT, is considering building a new semiconductor plant in Beijing. Although details such as production capacity and investment size were not disclosed, the prospect of increased memory supply added downward pressure to chip stocks. Still, U.S. memory chip stocks managed to rebou

Aug 4, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Kosdaq gains momentum as chip stocks jitter
Economy

Korean won seen as biggest Asian FX winner from yen support

The Korean won is poised to be the biggest beneficiary among Asian currencies after U.S. and Japanese authorities carried out a coordinated yen-buying intervention, given the won's relatively high sensitivity to moves in the Japanese yen, analysts said Tuesday. "The suppression on the dollar-yen rate should favor a lower dollar-won rate, along with other Asian currencies against the U.S. dollar, with the Korean won emerging as a clear beneficiary," said Stephen Chiu, chief emerging markets FX strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence. Barclays also noted in a research published Monday that yen-sensitive Asian currencies, particularly the Korean won, could extend gains in the short term. While most Asian currencies have relatively low sensitivity to moves in the Japanese yen, the Korean won, Singapore dollar and Thai baht are the most responsive, in that order, it said. "Following an almost uninterrupted decline in the dollar-won exchange rate since early July ... the currency (won) received additional support after the dollar-yen rate fell sharply amid reports of Japanese intervention," said

Aug 4, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Korean won seen as biggest Asian FX winner from yen support
Economy

Korean investors flock to leveraged US ETFs, take another hit

A retail investor surnamed Min knew the risks before pressing the buy button. But the urge to make up for the gains he had missed overwhelmed his better judgment. In early July, the 29-year-old purchased 5 million won ($3,496.26) worth of Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) known by its ticker, SOXL. The fund seeks to deliver three times the daily return of the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index. When he checked his account the next morning, his position was already down more than 10 percent. He saw the decline as another buying opportunity and added to his holdings. His losses continued to deepen, eventually reaching 30 percent. "I naively thought that the bad news surrounding chip stocks would end just after I bought in, followed by a sharp rebound," he said. "I let the fear of missing out take over." Min is one of many retail investors who have piled into triple-leveraged U.S. ETFs as chip stocks have languished at home and Korean authorities have tightened regulations on trading single-stock leveraged ETFs tied to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

Aug 4, 2026By Lee Yeon-woo
Korean investors flock to leveraged US ETFs, take another hit
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