Korean Investors Resume U.S. Stock Buying, Semiconductor ETFs Lead - 조선일보

Korean retail investors, known as 'Seohak ants,' have resumed net purchases of U.S. stocks after two months of selling, signaling renewed confidence in the U.S. market. According to the Korea Securiti... Read original →

Korean retail inflows into U.S. semiconductor ETFs reflect a strategic bet on the foundational certainty of AI infrastructure. The high barriers of 3nm nodes and EUV lithography cement TSMC (Taiwan, China) as an irreplaceable foundry, amplifying demand for upstream materials and boosting downstream chip designers’ pricing power. However, compliance costs from U.S. CHIPS Act stipulations pressure Korean firms reliant on both U.S. and Chinese markets, forcing supply chain recalibration. Intel may accelerate foundry outsourcing to defend market share, while Samsung could expand mature-node capacity to hedge advanced-node risks. Over the next 12–24 months, sustained AI server capex will fuel leveraged ETF flows like SOXL—but geopolitical friction may trigger forced portfolio rebalancing, creating cyclical tension between technological momentum and policy backlash.