[New Year's Address] Seo Yuseok, Chairman of the Korea Financial Investment Association, "Expanding Related Businesses such as Virtual Asset ETFs... New Growth Opportunities"

"Finding New Growth Opportunities in the Digital Asset Market"
"Supporting Major Securities Firms to Become Asia's Top Securities Companies"

Seo Yu-seok, Chairman of the Korea Financial Investment Association, stated on the 2nd, "We will strive to innovate financial infrastructure and find new growth opportunities for financial investment companies in the digital asset market."

In his New Year's address, he said, "We will support the digital asset market to become a future growth engine of our capital market by promoting the expansion of financial investment companies' businesses related to virtual assets, such as the legalization of token securities and virtual asset exchange-traded funds (ETFs)."

He also plans to actively support the overseas expansion of large securities firms. He emphasized, "We will help large securities firms grow into top securities firms in Asia," adding, "We will support strengthening global capabilities for expanding the overseas advancement of comprehensive financial investment business operators and continuously pursue institutional improvements to revitalize corporate finance, such as allowing corporate payment settlements."

At the same time, support for small and medium-sized firms will be strengthened. He said, "We will support the passage of the Business Development Company (BDC) system in the National Assembly to supply venture capital to unlisted companies," and added, "We will make efforts to establish growth paths by expanding funding for small and medium-sized securities firms, supporting specialized strategies, securing sales channels for small and medium-sized asset management companies, and allowing institutional investor participation in land trusts by real estate trust companies."

Regarding the formal launch of the alternative trading system (ATS) 'NextTrade' this year and the upcoming multiple exchange system, he expressed a commitment to minimizing market confusion. He also identified tasks such as △ rationalizing dividend tax systems △ supporting the listing of public offering funds on exchanges △ expanding domestic financial investment companies' participation in pension fund discretionary management △ rationalizing regulations on default options for retirement pensions △ and introducing Junior Individual Savings Accounts (ISA).