(C) KED Global

SEOUL – As 2026 begins, South Korea’s ultra-wealthy investors, each holding assets exceeding 3 billion KRW, are signaling a major pivot from U.S. equities back to the domestic market. According to a survey by Samsung Securities of 401 SNI (Samsung Noble County) clients, these investors have adopted 'K.O.R.E.A.' as their core investment keyword, betting on a significant re-evaluation of the Korean market.

A Bright Outlook for the Korean Bourse
The keyword 'K.O.R.E.A.' encapsulates five major trends: K-stock preference, Outperforming KOSDAQ, Rebalancing toward equities, ETF utilization, and AI-driven growth. Approximately 46% of respondents expect the KOSPI to break the 4,500 mark, with 32.1% even anticipating a "5,000 era." Optimism for the KOSDAQ is even stronger, with nearly 60% predicting it will surpass 1,000.

Korea Over USA, KOSDAQ Over KOSPI
In a surprising shift, 54.3% of the wealthy selected South Korea as their preferred destination for increasing equity exposure, significantly outpacing the United States (32.9%). This indicates a departure from the recent trend of heavy U.S. stock concentration. Furthermore, respondents favoring KOSDAQ's performance over KOSPI were more than double, reflecting high expectations for high-growth small-and-mid-cap stocks.

Aggressive Rebalancing Focused on AI and ETFs
The survey revealed that 67.1% of high-net-worth individuals plan to increase their equity holdings this year, with 57.9% intending to allocate over 80% of their portfolio to stocks. AI and Semiconductors (31.8%) remain the most favored sectors, followed by Robotics (18.0%) and Bio-healthcare (14.8%). To manage individual stock risks, 49.1% preferred investing through ETFs and ETNs.

Samsung Securities’ Research Center set a KOSPI target of 4,900 for 2026, citing global liquidity and corporate earnings growth. Analysts recommend focusing on the AI value chain while including defense stocks to hedge against geopolitical risks. Despite the market shift, Samsung Electronics remains the top individual stock choice, maintaining its status as the nation's most trusted investment.