[2024 Capital Investment Target] Chairman Jeong Eun-bo: "An Important Time to Create a Turning Point for Capital Market Recovery"

Congratulatory Address by Jeong Eun-bo, Chairman of Korea Exchange

Nice to meet you. I am Jeong Eun-bo, Chairman of the Korea Exchange. I sincerely congratulate the hosting of the 18th '2024 Asia Capital Investment Awards' this year. I would like to thank Mr. Woo Byung-hyun, CEO of Asia Economy, for inviting me to this event, and also thank Mr. Lee Yoon-soo, Standing Commissioner of the Financial Supervisory Service, who gave the congratulatory remarks earlier, and Mr. Lee Jun-seo, President of the Korea Securities Association, who conducted the fair evaluation. Above all, I sincerely congratulate all the securities company representatives who received awards today.

Jung Eun-bo, Chairman of the Korea Exchange, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the '2024 Asia Capital Investment Awards Ceremony' held on the 5th at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

This year’s grand prize winner, Samsung Securities, has shown great achievements in listings. They helped seven companies get listed this year and are currently serving as the lead underwriter for companies with trillion-won sales such as Seoul Guarantee Insurance, supporting their listing processes.

In the (asset management) WM sector, Korea Investment & Securities and KB Securities contributed to customer asset management through excellent products. Congratulations also to Daishin Securities in the IB sector, which showed strengths in corporate financing, and NH Investment & Securities in the research sector, which stood out with differentiated analysis.

The domestic stock market is currently facing difficult conditions both internally and externally, including the ongoing Korea discount, uncertainties due to changes in U.S. government policies, and a decline in Korea’s economic growth rate. The Korea Exchange is striving to overcome these difficulties and improve the market’s fundamentals.

First, together with the government, we are promoting a value-up program to create momentum for stock market growth. Starting with the announcement of the corporate value enhancement plan guidelines in May, we have been working to revitalize the market through the release of the Value-Up Index (September 30), the launch of the Value-Up ETF (November 4), and the establishment of the Value-Up Fund (November 21).

Additionally, we are actively working to remove zombie companies to improve the soundness and reliability of the domestic stock market. Zombie companies are a hotbed of unfair trading, undermining market soundness and potentially causing investor damage. To address this, we are thoroughly reviewing the current delisting system and preparing institutional improvement measures to promptly delist marginal companies.

Now is an important time to create an opportunity for our capital market to rebound. We ask for the interest and support of all of you who serve as a bridge between companies and investors to level up the Korean stock market. Once again, congratulations to all the award recipients. Thank you.