Lee Eokwon: "Full Commitment to Korea Premium... New Order for Capital Market to Be Established"

On September 29, Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eokwon stated, "Now is the time for our capital market to 'level up' beyond simply increasing corporate value," adding, "We will make every effort not only to resolve the 'Korea Discount' but also to create a 'Korea Premium.'

Chairman Lee made these remarks during his congratulatory speech at the 'Korea Capital Market Conference 2025,' held at the Westin Josun Seoul on the morning of September 29. He said, "I hope that today's conference, which shares the major achievements of our capital market and discusses future challenges, will serve as a stepping stone toward the era of the Korea Premium."

Yonhap News Agency

First, Chairman Lee pointed out that the KOSPI recently reached an all-time high and has recorded the highest growth rate among the G20 countries so far this year. He noted, "Expectations and aspirations for the market to serve as a growth platform for innovative companies and as a key pillar for retirement planning for the public are higher than ever."

He emphasized, "To create sustainable growth momentum for our economy, it is necessary to foster the capital market as a core platform for economic growth," and added, "We will pursue fundamental innovation in the capital market, not just short-term stock market stimulus measures." He further explained, "We will steadfastly promote capital market revitalization based on three pillars: establishing a fair and transparent market order, spreading shareholder value-centered corporate management, and expanding the demand base and virtuous capital circulation in the stock market."

To this end, the first priority is to create a market environment that the public can trust and invest in. Chairman Lee cited as an example the recent case in which the joint response task force for stock price manipulation, launched earlier this year, quickly detected and froze assets of a stock price manipulation ring worth 100 billion won. He said, "We will strictly enforce a one-strike-out policy to restore market trust." He also announced plans to enhance market transparency and predictability by strengthening sanctions against accounting fraud and establishing a roadmap for ESG disclosure standards.

In addition, Chairman Lee said, "We will ensure that shareholders can fairly enjoy the fruits of corporate growth," and added, "By continuously upgrading corporate value enhancement plans, we will foster a culture of communication between companies and shareholders in the market." Specifically, he emphasized the importance of improving corporate governance, which has attracted significant interest from foreign investors. He stated, "We will support the implementation of the revised Commercial Act, improve systems such as mergers and spin-offs, and encourage the expansion of treasury stock cancellations to further spread shareholder value-centered corporate management."

Finally, he said, "We will enhance the accessibility and efficiency of the market so that companies can smoothly raise the funds necessary for growth." He added, "We will expand the demand base of the capital market by introducing new investment vehicles for innovative and venture companies, such as Business Development Companies (BDC) and Security Token Offerings (STO), expanding the supply of venture capital by large-scale investment banks, and rationalizing procedures for foreign investment." He also stressed, "We will actively consider restructuring the stock market so that companies can receive tailored financial support at each stage of growth," emphasizing that all these policy efforts are part of 'productive finance.'

Chairman Lee reiterated, "Our capital market now stands amid strong winds of change," and said, "To transform the funds currently concentrated in real estate and secured loans into capital that creates new growth engines for our economy, our capital market must quickly become a trustworthy market in which the public wants to invest."

He also emphasized, "In response to the emergence of unlisted and non-standard securities (fractional investments, investment contract securities) and their trading platforms, we must organically connect the over-the-counter and exchange markets while establishing the unique identity of each market." He added, "Amid these changes, we must establish 'new rules and norms' that can protect investors while promoting innovation and maximizing growth."

Meanwhile, this conference, now in its second year, was organized to support communication among domestic and international market participants for the development of the Korean capital market and the strengthening of its global competitiveness. On the first day, September 29, a special session commemorating the KOSPI's record high will discuss the significance of this achievement and share visions and challenges for the KOSPI 5000 era. On September 30, the conference will focus on digital assets, sharing major overseas cases related to the introduction of STOs and virtual asset exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and discuss ways to successfully introduce related new products to the Korean market.