'Korea Premium Week Opens' Eokwon Lee Holds Talks with Goldman Sachs, BlackRock Executives

Eokwon Lee, Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, held a series of meetings with representatives from Goldman Sachs and BlackRock in celebration of Korea Premium Week, sharing outlooks on the Korean stock market.

On the afternoon of the 28th, Eunok Lee, Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, took a commemorative photo with Kevin Snyder, Asia-Pacific Representative of Goldman Sachs (right), and Jude Abdel Majid, Co-Head of BlackRock Global Partners, after the opening ceremony of Korea Premium Week held at The Grand Lotte Seoul. Financial Services Commission

According to the Financial Services Commission on September 28, Chairman Lee held separate meetings on the same day as the opening ceremony of Korea Premium Week with Kevin Snider, Head of Goldman Sachs Asia-Pacific, and Jude Abdelmajid, Co-Head of BlackRock Global Partners.

During these meetings, the parties exchanged opinions on the prospects for the Korean stock market amid rapidly changing global conditions. They also discussed issues such as the recent global interest rate hike pressures, market sentiment regarding artificial intelligence (AI), the semiconductor industry and investment concentration, as well as uncertainties arising from the situation in the Middle East.

Snider remarked, "The Korean capital market is on the right track," and added, "The future of the Korean stock market is very positive." Previously, Goldman Sachs had predicted that the KOSPI index would surpass 12,000. He continued, "Korea not only boasts a dominant and fast-growing semiconductor industry driving what is being called the AI revolution, but also has robust sectors in energy and finance, among others. If the market recognizes the stable profits from these promising industries, it will lead to increased capital inflows and balanced growth for the stock market."

Abdelmajid expressed his appreciation for the institutional improvement efforts undertaken by the Korean government and its responsiveness to feedback from foreign investors. He stated, "Korea's solid economy and industrial foundation deserve high recognition, and in particular, the National Growth Fund will serve as a strategically important opportunity for promising domestic companies to progress." He added, "If ongoing and consistent institutional improvements continue, more global investors can invest in the Korean capital market with confidence."

They also noted that while the global trend of rising interest rates poses potential risks for global stock markets, Korea’s sound economic fundamentals and its strengths in infrastructure—including AI—make it well-positioned for stable responses.

Chairman Lee stated, "By consistently pursuing efforts to improve the underlying structure of the capital market, we will work to ensure the market stabilizes and closely manage stability in response to global stock market changes. I hope global investors' strong interest and cooperation with the Korean capital market will continue."

Meanwhile, Korea Premium Week 2026—the largest capital market investor relations (IR) event in Korea jointly organized by the Financial Services Commission and Korea Exchange—will take place for three weeks, from today until October 16. The opening ceremony and policy sessions on the first day included discussions on capital market reform plans, achievements and future directions in improving corporate governance, and foreign exchange market reform strategies. On September 29, the event will cover topics including the vision and tasks for the Korea Premium Era, advancing capital market infrastructure (such as extending trading hours and shortening settlement cycles), and measures to strengthen the competitiveness of the KOSDAQ market. Briefings by Korea’s leading listed firms such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are also scheduled.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.