Ideas
Government policy drives KOSDAQ individual stock rally.
The government is explicitly targeting KOSDAQ 3,000 via digital assets and STO, and institutions bought a record ~1 trillion won of KOSDAQ. Small-cap research reports are immediately moving stocks, so the market is shifting from large caps toward KOSDAQ individual names.
STO and stablecoins are major policy theme.
Stablecoins and STO are becoming a major policy and financial-market theme: US financial institutions are adopting blockchain products, Trump-era policy supports crypto, and Korea's KOSDAQ 3,000 plan explicitly uses digital assets. Even if corporate earnings are unproven, the story is too important to ignore.
KOSDAQ 3000 is policy bubble risk.
KOSDAQ 3,000 lacks the earnings backing that drove KOSPI to 5,000, which was mostly Samsung and SK hynix. The government can create a policy-driven bubble, so investors should treat it as a momentum trade and be cautious, especially before the June local elections.
KOSPI upside limited as funds rotate.
Kim lowered his KOSPI target from 7,000 to around 5,500 because the won's movement was less strong than expected and liquidity is rotating toward KOSDAQ. KOSPI has limited near-term upside as policy attention shifts to KOSDAQ.
Tesla leads autonomous driving and robotaxi.
Lemonade halved Tesla insurance premiums after reviewing FSD data, Tesla removed the safety monitor in Austin to reach Level 4 autonomy, and it plans nationwide robotaxi expansion by year-end. Optimus production plans add another catalyst, keeping Tesla ahead in autonomy and robotics.
Hyundai Motor prepares for autonomous EV shift.
Hyundai Motor asked the government for EV subsidies, signaling confidence in its EV transition. Because EVs make it easier to move toward autonomous driving, Hyundai is likely to accelerate autonomy preparations, making it a Korean beneficiary of the Tesla-led FSD theme.
Canadian submarine project could lift shipbuilders.
Canada's Ontario minister visited Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries ahead of a C$60bn submarine project. The ITB local-benefit requirement could favor Korean yards if they offer Ontario factory investment; a win would be a positive reference for Korean shipbuilding and defense.
Bio is best KOSDAQ policy play.
KOSDAQ policy support hits bio first because biotech is the largest KOSDAQ sector and institutions are buying. Unlike batteries, bio lacks visible near-term numbers, so global big-pharma deals and pipeline stories can keep adding upside; investors should not sell into the policy-driven rebound.
Sam Chun Dang leads oral obesity drugs.
Sam Chun Dang Pharm's S-PASS oral formulation of semaglutide can capture the obesity-drug market after semaglutide patents expire. A potential 15 trillion won contract with 90% profit sharing and Korea Investment & Securities' bullish report make it a leader in oral obesity treatments.
Brokerages gain from trading surge and STO.
Korean brokerage stocks are hitting new highs as trading value surges. Mirae Asset Securities has three catalysts—SpaceX IPO, market activation, and STO—while Kiwoom, NH Investment, and Korea Investment benefit from new ISA/IMA accounts, strong 1Q earnings, and still-reasonable valuations.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics lacks MLCC catalyst.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics reported good earnings but fell over 3% because the market expected a mid- to long-term MLCC shortage narrative that did not appear. Expectations are too high, making the stock vulnerable.
Memory upcycle can extend into 2027.
TrendForce forecasts the 2026 memory market to grow 53%, far above consensus near 15%, with DRAM +144% and NAND +112% this year. If next-year growth is around 50%, the memory upcycle can extend; Samsung and SK hynix earnings guidance next week is the key catalyst.
Meta is cheap AI ad winner.
Meta rose 5.7% as AI-based advertising optimization improves efficiency, and Wall Street research argues it trades many times cheaper than Alphabet. The combination of AI ad leverage and relative valuation makes Meta attractive.
Intel faces margin pressure from memory costs.
Intel beat earnings but fell sharply because guidance was conservative due to rising memory prices pressuring margins. The market is punishing Intel for margin risk despite headline beats, so it is unattractive near term.
Robot theme is overextended without valuation.
Hyulim Robot rose about 10x on liquidity alone with no valuation support, and robot-related stocks saw profit-taking. The robot theme is overheated, though some individual names can still move.
Rainbow Robotics lags, Samsung synergy eyed.
Rainbow Robotics lagged while other robot stocks rallied, but it rose on expectations of synergies with parent Samsung Electronics. The underperformance plus Samsung backing creates a potential catch-up trade.
Naver is safer STO and crypto play.
Naver is the safer large-cap way to play the digital-asset and KOSDAQ 3,000 theme. Hanwha and DS Securities note that crypto regulation easing could re-rate Naver's crypto business, while its AI and earnings base make it more comfortable than speculative STO names.
Medical beauty device exporters keep growing.
LS and Daol Securities expect 4Q results for APR, PharmaResearch, Classys, and Hugel to meet or beat consensus, with 2026 operating profit growth of 26-52%. Medical tourism and export expansion support a multi-year step-up in Korean aesthetic device makers.
Korean financials gain from governance reform.
President Lee's push for the third commercial law amendment, anti-stock-price-suppression rules, and restrictions on duplicate listings could improve governance and valuations for holding companies, brokers, banks, and insurers. The financial sector rallied on this reform expectation.
Space sector gains on SpaceX IPO.
Musk said space-based solar-powered AI data centers could be the most cost-effective solution within 2-3 years, and SpaceX selected four global banks for a possible July IPO. Korean space and aerospace stocks traded higher on the theme.
Korean construction awaits housing supply plan.
The government is expected to announce a housing supply plan as early as this month, with concrete permitting and construction-start targets. Construction stocks rose on the expectation, though loan regulations remain a risk.
Glass substrate suppliers benefit from Samsung push.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics is promoting glass substrates as a next growth business, having built a pilot line, sent samples to big tech, and signed an MOU to review a JV. Related Korean glass-substrate suppliers rose on the news.
WGBI inflows support Korean government bonds.
Korea's WGBI inclusion should bring $40-50bn of passive bond inflows between April and November 2026. That flow is a structural support for Korean government bonds and the won.
USD/KRW weakness is positioning, not liquidity.
The BOK argues won weakness is not caused by money printing but by short-term supply-demand concentration: retail overseas equity buying, corporate dollars left unconverted, and offshore hedging. It is not a crisis, and WGBI bond inflows plus the current-account surplus should stabilize the won, so investors should reduce one-sided FX exposure.
This 3PRO TV (삼프로TV) video, published January 23, 2026,
features Jang Woo-jin, Kim Jang-yeol, Park Geun-hyung, Park Jong-woo
discussing KOSDAQ, STO/stablecoin theme, EWY, TSLA, 005380.KS, 042660.KS, 329180.KS, KOSDAQ Biotech, Sam Chun Dang Pharm, 006800.KS, 039490.KS, 005940.KS, 071050.KS, 036530.KS, 000660.KS, 005930.KS, META, INTC, Korean robot theme, 277810.KQ, 035420.KS, APR, 214450.KQ, Classys, 145020.KQ, Korean financials sector, Korean space/aerospace sector, Korean construction sector, Korean glass substrate supply chain, Korean government bonds, USD/KRW.
24 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers:
Jang Woo-jin,
Kim Jang-yeol,
Park Geun-hyung,
Park Jong-woo
· Tickers:
KOSDAQ,
STO/stablecoin theme,
EWY,
TSLA,
005380.KS,
042660.KS,
329180.KS,
KOSDAQ Biotech,
Sam Chun Dang Pharm,
006800.KS,
039490.KS,
005940.KS,
071050.KS,
036530.KS,
000660.KS,
005930.KS,
META,
INTC,
Korean robot theme,
277810.KQ,
035420.KS,
APR,
214450.KQ,
Classys,
145020.KQ,
Korean financials sector,
Korean space/aerospace sector,
Korean construction sector,
Korean glass substrate supply chain,
Korean government bonds,
USD/KRW
