Exchange: "Stock Trading to Start at 7 a.m. from Late June"

Korea Exchange, Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

As early as the end of June, stock trading is expected to be allowed to start at 7:00 a.m.

On February 3, Korea Exchange announced in a press release that by June it plans to introduce a pre-market (7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.) and an after-market (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) in addition to the regular session (9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).

It is targeting June 29, 2026 as the start date for trading, and plans to extend trading hours step by step, starting with securities firms whose system preparations are complete.

Korea Exchange also plans to introduce a 24-hour trading system by the end of next year. This is a measure to respond to the establishment of 24-hour trading systems at global exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq in the United States.

A Korea Exchange official stressed, "Management and labor share the view that extending trading hours, including the introduction of pre- and after-markets, is unavoidable in order to respond to intensifying competition among domestic and overseas exchanges."

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