Ideas
Gold rally still has room
Seok argues gold remains a valid portfolio asset even after its steep rise. Gold is money that cannot be printed, geopolitical conflicts and sanctions continue, central banks are accumulating gold, and concerns about US Treasuries and de-dollarization support demand. She notes consensus sees upside into the second half of 2026, historical cycles suggest the current rally may have another two to three years, and gold's daily correlation with the S&P 500 is near zero, making it a diversifier. She also says gold is more likely than KOSPI to stabilize above 5,000.
Silver deficit supports higher prices
Seok is bullish on silver because demand is structurally outrunning supply. More than half of silver demand is industrial, including electrical and electronics, solar panels, EVs and AI data centers, while only about 30% of supply comes from primary silver mines, with the rest from recycling and byproduct metals such as zinc and lead. She says this supply-demand mismatch explains the 2025 surge and that silver is no longer just gold's little brother.
Retail physical gold starts at loss
Seok warns that buying physical gold at retail gold shops is cost-inefficient. A 10% VAT plus making and fabrication charges can mean starting with about a 15% loss, compared with lower-cost KRX gold spot; physical gold also creates storage and opportunity-cost issues.
KRX gold spot is best vehicle
Seok recommends the KRX gold spot market through a securities account as the best way to invest in gold in Korea. It offers 1g trading units, fair market pricing without a dealer spread, no VAT, capital-gains tax exemption, very low online commissions relative to gold banking, physical withdrawal capability, and avoids the domestic Kimchi premium. She prefers it over retail gold shops, gold funds, gold banking, and general-account gold ETFs.
Gold banking suits tiny gold purchases
Seok says bank gold banking is suitable for very small amounts because investors can buy in 0.01g units. However, she warns it charges about 1% in dealing fees and a 15.4% dividend income tax on gains, so it is less tax-efficient; for larger regular purchases she personally would use the KRX gold spot market.
Gold ETF works in tax accounts
Seok says a gold ETF such as ACE KRX Gold Spot is not ideal in a general brokerage account because it has fees, taxes, tracking difference and no physical withdrawal, but if held inside an ISA, pension savings fund or IRP account, it can be a good gold vehicle because those accounts provide tax deferral and compounding benefits.
KODEX Silver ETF only domestic option
Because Korea has no silver spot market, the only domestic silver-related ETF Seok cites is KODEX Silver Futures. It can be used for silver exposure inside pension savings and ISA accounts, but not IRP because futures are restricted there; she says more silver products would broaden access.
This 3PRO TV (삼프로TV) video, published January 23, 2026,
features Seok Ji-hyun
discussing GLD, SLV, Physical gold (retail gold shops), KRX gold spot market, Gold banking (bank gold account), 411060.KS, 144600.KS.
7 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers:
Seok Ji-hyun
· Tickers:
GLD,
SLV,
Physical gold (retail gold shops),
KRX gold spot market,
Gold banking (bank gold account),
411060.KS,
144600.KS