Brokerages woo investors back to Korean stocks amid won's weakness

Exchange rates are displayed at a currency exchange booth in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Securities firms have rolled out aggressive marketing campaigns, including fee waivers and free share offerings, to lure individual investors who have shifted to overseas stock markets back to domestic equities, in line with government initiatives, industry officials said Thursday.

The government has announced a range of incentives, including tax exemptions for investors who sell U.S. stocks and return to the local market, as part of efforts to ease upward pressure on the won-dollar exchange rate while revitalizing the domestic stock market.

In step with the government’s move, Korea Investment & Securities is offering a raffle in which customers who open new online accounts by the end of this month will receive two shares selected from the KOSPI 200.

Daishin Securities has launched a campaign targeting investors who have not traded stocks over the past six months, offering commission-free domestic stock trading, with only mandatory regulatory charges applied.

“The event is intended to ease the cost burden for customers seeking to return to the market as domestic equities regain momentum,” a Daishin Securities official said.

Shinhan Securities has introduced a promotion for dormant customers who have not traded domestic equities for six months, granting a full waiver of both trading commissions and related regulatory fees for an initial six-month period. The benefit will then be extended for another six months, during which only mandatory regulatory costs will apply.

NH Investment & Securities is offering discounted domestic stock trading fees for 12 months to new clients who open accounts through non-face-to-face channels.

Samsung Securities is providing a 20,000 won ($14) trading credit to customers who open new accounts by the end of this month, which can be used for domestic equity transactions.

A view of Seoul's financial district of Yeouido / gettyimagesbank

On Dec. 24, 2025, the Ministry of Economy and Finance announced a package of tax support measures aimed at encouraging domestic investment and stabilizing the foreign exchange market.

Under the plan, individual investors who sell overseas stock holdings and reinvest the proceeds in domestic equities for one year through designated reshoring investment accounts will receive a temporary, one-year exemption from the 20 percent capital gains tax on foreign stock sales.

The measure has been widely viewed as a strong signal urging retail investors to sell U.S. shares and shift their funds back to the local market.

As part of broader efforts, Cheong Wa Dae convened an informal meeting Tuesday with the heads of major securities firms and asset management companies, including Samsung Securities, Korea Investment & Securities and Mirae Asset Securities, to discuss ways to facilitate the return of overseas equity investors to the domestic market, according to financial investment industry sources.

The meeting, chaired by Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff, was also attended by officials from the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, as well as representatives from the Korea Capital Market Institute.

“Follow-up measures aimed at strengthening the domestic stock market’s structural attractiveness will be more critical than any short-term capital inflows,” a financial investment industry official said.