Ideas
Memory leaders stay core KOSPI assets.
Kwon argues the memory cycle has not ended; Samsung Electronics' 20 trillion won earnings surprise and upward guidance, conservative domestic estimates, foreign analysts' higher targets, and disciplined memory pricing should keep high margins and support share prices. He wants to buy Samsung Electronics and SK hynix on pullbacks because they remain core KOSPI assets and the semiconductor supply-demand black hole should persist through the first half.
Space becomes 2026 leading investment sector.
Kwon's 2026 keyword is SDM: Space, Drone, Memory, with space as the centerpiece. Aerospace and space ETFs are among the best-performing non-leveraged ETFs year-to-date, and he sees the sector moving beyond a theme into a leading sector. The SpaceX IPO, global space events, Korea's completed value chain, and government R&D support should allow repeated valuation re-rating, even if near-term overheating causes pauses.
SpaceX material suppliers have real revenue.
Kwon prefers companies already generating real revenue tied to SpaceX. He names SPHERE and HVM as representative material suppliers whose sales should grow as SpaceX scales launch cadence and satellite deployment.
LEO satellite internet opens new markets.
Starlink has entered Korea and is commercializing globally; LEO satellites are closer and lower-latency than geostationary satellites, enabling usable satellite internet. Kwon sees a large new market: roughly 2 billion people and 500 million households lack adequate communications, and direct-to-device could eventually reduce roaming and extend coverage to sea, mountains, and remote areas, while also supporting UAM and autonomous driving.
Hanwha Aerospace anchors Korean space value chain.
Korea's space industry is shifting from state-led to private, with Hanwha Aerospace at the center of the Nuri launch vehicle value chain. The space agency budget and broader Hanwha Group push into space and defense give it both defense earnings and space optionality, making it a more comfortable long-term holding.
UAM needs satellite-based 6G connectivity.
UAM and air taxis cannot operate smoothly without global connectivity; Kwon argues they need satellite-based 6G/LEO internet to fly and communicate reliably. As LEO satellite constellations expand, the UAM/air-taxi market can begin to open.
US drone value chain benefits.
Modern warfare has validated drones and suicide drones, from Russia-Ukraine to the recent Maduro operation. Kwon says the US reverse-engineered and localized Chinese-style drones, and the first US-made suicide drone was used in that operation, so the US drone value chain is a key area to watch.
Palantir benefits from space-based defense.
In the Maduro operation, Starlink and Palantir were cited as key enablers: space-based surveillance identified the target, and Palantir analyzed the data for US forces. Kwon argues space-based defense and intelligence spending will keep strengthening, with Trump's proposed 50% defense budget increase as a tailwind.
Defense spending rises on security threats.
Kwon sees defense strengthening continue as space-based intelligence and drones prove effective in modern conflicts. Trump's call to increase the defense budget by 50% should benefit the broader defense sector.
Intelliantech leads LEO gateway antennas.
Intelliantech is the global leader in maritime VSAT antennas and is now moving into LEO gateway antennas, which are essential ground stations linking satellites to data centers. As Starlink, OneWeb, Amazon Leo, and others expand satellite constellations, gateway antenna orders should grow with satellite count. Existing OneWeb and Company A supply contracts support the thesis, and although legacy operations are loss-making, the gateway antenna cycle is the investment point.
Memory costs squeeze device component makers.
Memory price increases raise input costs for smartphone, PC, and device component makers. Device demand may fall because higher memory costs push up final prices, and component and accessory suppliers face margin pressure and weaker sales.
This 3PRO TV (삼프로TV) video, published January 09, 2026,
features Kwon Taek-jung
discussing 005930.KS, 000660.KS, PLUS Aerospace UAM ETF, 1Q US Space Tech ETF, Sphere, HVM, LEO satellite communications, 012450.KS, UAM/air taxi sector, US drone value chain, PLTR, ITA, 189300.KQ, Smartphone/PC component and accessory makers.
11 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers:
Kwon Taek-jung
· Tickers:
005930.KS,
000660.KS,
PLUS Aerospace UAM ETF,
1Q US Space Tech ETF,
Sphere,
HVM,
LEO satellite communications,
012450.KS,
UAM/air taxi sector,
US drone value chain,
PLTR,
ITA,
189300.KQ,
Smartphone/PC component and accessory makers