Ideas
KOSPI uptrend intact; 5,000 possible
KOSPI is in a strong uptrend, with foreign selling offset by institutional and retail buying and large bank-deposit migration into brokerage accounts. The speaker sees 5,000 as possible in the first quarter and says investors should not become bearish yet, though he prefers a period of consolidation over a vertical rally and advises watching until after the Lunar New Year holiday.
Samsung over SK hynix; trim later
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have entered a consolidation phase after January 8, but the more important question is when to trim, in March or June, rather than whether to sell now. Samsung is currently more attractive than SK hynix because Samsung can expand capacity more aggressively, while SK hynix faces high debt, weaker liquidity, limited capacity expansion, and potential catch-up by Micron's HBM expansion within two years. Both should be held with position sizing, and investors should watch 2027 memory guidance and spot prices; if guidance does not reach the expected level, the stocks may stall.
Samsung over SK hynix; trim later
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have entered a consolidation phase after January 8, but the more important question is when to trim, in March or June, rather than whether to sell now. Samsung is currently more attractive than SK hynix because Samsung can expand capacity more aggressively, while SK hynix faces high debt, weaker liquidity, limited capacity expansion, and potential catch-up by Micron's HBM expansion within two years. Both should be held with position sizing, and investors should watch 2027 memory guidance and spot prices; if guidance does not reach the expected level, the stocks may stall.
Micron may catch SK hynix
Micron is underfollowed in Korea but is aggressively expanding HBM capacity in New York, Hiroshima, and Singapore with U.S. government support. The speaker thinks Micron may catch up to SK hynix within two years, while SK hynix has limited near-term capacity expansion, making Micron a key competitive watch item in the memory cycle.
Hyundai Motor Group: hold all year
After CES, Hyundai Motor has taken over market leadership from semiconductors because the company has a new 10-plus-year growth engine in robotics and autonomous driving, unlike failed EV or Apple car hopes. The speaker says Hyundai Motor Group stocks are okay to hold throughout the year, expecting a period of consolidation after the sharp rally before they resume higher.
Commercial Act favors high treasury holdings
The Commercial Act amendment is likely to pass in early February before the Lunar New Year holiday, and the key point is that the original bill remains intact, forcing companies with large existing treasury shares to dispose of or cancel them. This should support holding companies and securities stocks with high treasury-share ratios, while chairmen may resist but shareholders benefit. The speaker says to focus on holding companies and securities firms, especially those with large treasury shares.
Battery sector bottom; trade only
The secondary battery sector is in a tradable bottoming zone, but not yet a durable bull trend. The speaker says investors can buy for short swing or trading gains, should keep target returns short, and should not build heavy positions unless they are skilled at trading.
Hold or add known biotech
Biotech stocks have seen painful volatility, but after more than ten years covering the sector, the speaker views this level of volatility as normal. Investors should not panic-sell and should hold or add to names they understand well, using volatility as an opportunity rather than a reason to exit.
USD/KRW unlikely to hit 1,500
The recent rise in USD/KRW is driven mainly by capital outflows and corporate dollar demand for overseas investment, not by a crisis; Korean growth is improving and the U.S. has called the won undervalued. The speaker is cautious about forecasting FX but does not think USD/KRW will reach 1,500, so the won's weakness should be monitored rather than treated as a systemic break.
Hanwha rally looks overextended
Hanwha's sharp rally on the Commercial Act and treasury-share theme looks overextended and theme-driven. The speaker questions whether it deserves to rise on this issue because it already trades above 1x book and the story resembles a company-split model like Hyosung; he suggests holders consider selling and views the move as too thematic.
SK Inc: treasury-share reform winner
SK Inc is a top pick because it has a very high treasury-share ratio of about 24.8%, making it a direct beneficiary of the Commercial Act amendment and mandatory treasury-share disposal or cancellation. The speaker sees no easy accounting tricks to avoid it, and says a 20% cancellation or disposal could lift the stock by 30-40%; SK hynix's strong earnings and government support also make SK Inc's fundamentals look safe.
Mirae Asset: reform plus SpaceX
Mirae Asset Securities is the other top pick: it has a high treasury-share ratio of roughly 22-23%, so the Commercial Act amendment could force disposal or cancellation and potentially drive a 30-40% rerating. The speaker also cites decent earnings and an unexpected SpaceX stake as a bonus, arguing there is little reason to look at other securities stocks.
This 815 Money Talk (815머니톡) video, published January 15, 2026,
features Lee Kwon-hee
discussing EWY, 005930.KS, 000660.KS, MU, 005380.KS, Hyundai Motor Group stocks, Korean holding companies, Korean securities sector, Korean secondary battery stocks, XBI, USD/KRW, 000880.KS, 034730.KS, 006800.KS.
12 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.
Speakers:
Lee Kwon-hee
· Tickers:
EWY,
005930.KS,
000660.KS,
MU,
005380.KS,
Hyundai Motor Group stocks,
Korean holding companies,
Korean securities sector,
Korean secondary battery stocks,
XBI,
USD/KRW,
000880.KS,
034730.KS,
006800.KS
