Lee Jae-myung, South Korea's leading presidential candidate, has vowed to eliminate the "Korea Discount" by reforming shareholder laws and boosting market value, aiming to double the stock index and win support from retail investors.
South Korea's top presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, has pledged to revive legislation aimed at limiting the power of controlling shareholders to improve the country’s stock market and eliminate the so-called "Korea Discount". This term refers to the tendency of South Korean companies to trade at lower valuations than global counterparts, partly due to the dominance of large, family-run conglomerates.
Lee, a liberal candidate and leader of the Democratic Party, announced plans to double the value of the main stock index and appeal to the nation’s 14 million retail investors, often referred to as "ants". He declared that I will end the "Korea Discount" era and usher in a new era of the "Korea Premium".
In March, the Democratic Party-led parliament passed an amendment to the Commercial Act to strengthen protections for minority shareholders. However, the acting president, Han Duck-soo, vetoed the bill, citing concerns over its potential to hinder corporate decision-making. Business lobby groups also opposed the measure.
Last year, the government introduced a voluntary plan encouraging companies to enhance shareholder value, but critics called it ineffective. Many experts believe that revising the Commercial Act would be a stronger step toward improving corporate governance.
Lee also committed to creating a roadmap for achieving developed market status from Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI). He pointed to the recent lifting of a five-year ban on short-selling, previously criticized by MSCI, as progress.
A stock trader himself, Lee said he would take firm action against stock manipulation and other market abuses. Following his remarks, the KOSPI index briefly rose by 0.6%, though it later leveled out.
Lee secured a significant win in the Democratic Party’s second primary round and is expected to become the party’s official presidential nominee on April 27. A recent Realmeter poll shows him leading the race with over 50% support, far ahead of conservative rival Kim Moon-soo, who has 12%.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Fra...
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's f...
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public re...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
Russia has agreed to work with Ghana on developing a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant following talks at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Saturday.
Foreign ministers from the U.S., Japan, Australia and India raised concerns over export restrictions and economic coercion at a Quad meeting in Atlanta, U.S., on Saturday, 31 October 2026, according to their joint statement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment