South Korea to hold emergency capital-market meeting amid volatility, push four-pillar reforms
President Lee Jae-myung is set to chair an emergency meeting on March 18 with chief executives of major securities firms, leaders of listed companies, and both retail and institutional investors. The gathering at the Blue House aims to discuss stabilizing and normalizing Korea’s capital market as volatility rises on the back of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The event is branded with the slogan: “A capital market strong in crisis, trusted by the people.”
Initially planned as a forum to push the Kospi toward the 6,000 level by shifting toward “productive finance,” the meeting was accelerated in response to escalating risk around the Hormuz Strait. Officials say the aim is to turn today’s volatility into a catalyst for long-term reform of the market’s structure and functioning.
A central objective is to review institutional steps to bolster market trust. In particular, the agenda includes the rapid implementation of the third set of amendments to Korea’s Commercial Act and measures to revitalize the KOSDAQ market, with a view to channeling capital toward promising small and mid-size firms and venture capital.
The session will draw on lessons from the president’s emphasis during a June visit to Korea Exchange, where he highlighted the need to curb stock manipulation and restore confidence in the capital market. He has repeatedly called for a channeling of market liquidity into productive investment rather than speculative activity.
Officials say the meeting will present a set of four reform pillars for the capital market: trust, shareholder respect, innovation, and accessibility. These pillars are intended to guide a broader reform package designed to improve governance, market transparency, and everyday participation by investors.
Attendees include the chairs of Korea’s Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, along with CEOs of leading securities firms, representatives from listed companies on the KOSDAQ and KONEX markets, and young and individual investors. The government says it will listen to frontline market voices to build a “national capital market” that citizens can trust.
Separately, the government has prepared to expand its “100 trillion won plus alpha market stabilization program” as needed and will conduct scenario-based stress tests to assess impacts across markets, sectors, and financial institutions. The goal is a rapid, evidence-based response to market stress without sacrificing long-term reform.
For U.S. readers, the developments matter because Korea is a major hub for global semiconductor supply chains, technology startups, and cross-border investment. The KOSDAQ, in particular, hosts many tech firms and venture-backed companies that attract foreign capital, including from U.S. investors. A more transparent, stable, and accessible market could influence American investment flows, joint ventures, and supply-chain financing, while also signaling Korea’s willingness to align with international standards on market integrity and corporate governance amid a shifting global risk environment.