Korean investors chase US stocks despite Kospi rally

South Korea’s efforts to draw retail investors back to domestic markets through reshoring investment accounts, incentives and a surging Kospi are failing to slow the retail rush into US stocks.

According to the Korea Securities Depository on Thursday, Korean investors’ custody holdings of US equities climbed to $200.4 billion as of May 26, already exceeding last year’s full-year record within just five months.

The figure marks a 22 percent increase from the end of 2025.

The surge was driven larg ...