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Korean Retail Investors Pour $85M into Memory Chip ETF Amid Sector Rebound
Electronic Technology · Semiconductors · yonhap_finance · 2026-08-21
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South Korean retail investors have aggressively bought into a US-listed memory semiconductor ETF, betting on the recent recovery of major chipmakers.
What Happened
Surge in Memory ETF Investment: South Korean retail investors, known as 'Seohak Ants,' net-purchased approximately $85.6 million worth of the US-listed Roundhill Memory ETF between June 14 and 20. This significant capital inflow highlights a strong investor appetite for memory semiconductor companies like Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron.
Semiconductor Stock Rally: Over the past two weeks, both SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics saw their stock prices jump by over 21%, significantly outperforming the KOSPI index. Global peers such as Micron and SanDisk also experienced double-digit gains, fueling optimism regarding the sector's recovery.
Domestic ETF Trends: Within the domestic market, investors flocked to ETFs tracking major US indices, such as the TIGER US S&P 500 and KODEX US Nasdaq 100. Simultaneously, capital flowed into both long and inverse KOSPI-linked products, reflecting a split sentiment regarding the market's short-term direction.
Market Liquidity and Leverage: Investor deposits, a key indicator of market liquidity, have stabilized around 105 trillion won. Meanwhile, the balance of credit-based margin trading has risen to 31.9 trillion won, marking a 3.1% increase from the previous week and signaling a rise in leveraged investment activity.