On March 19, the Executive Candidate Nomination Committee of Korea Investment & Securities (KIS) recommended current CEO Kim Sung-hwan as the final candidate for the next CEO.
This was the result of unanimous approval from all four members of the committee. Kim is scheduled to be officially appointed following the regular general shareholders’ meeting on Mar. 27.
In just one year since taking office as CEO in 2024, Kim has led KIS to join the so-called “1 Trillion Club,” becoming a securities firm that surpassed 1 trillion won in both operating profit and net profit.
Last year, KIS recorded 1.2762 trillion won in net operating revenue from its asset management division, a 76.3% increase from the previous year. In the brokerage division, commission revenue from brokerage services expanded by 39.6%.
Analysts attribute this success to increased domestic and international stock trading volume and expanded services.
According to industry sources, KIS presented an annual operating profit guideline of 3.65 trillion won at a recent workshop.
This figure is approximately 55% higher than last year’s operating profit and represents more than a fivefold increase compared to the operating profit of 664 billion won in 2023 prior to CEO Kim’s inauguration.
KIS’s IB Group established a dedicated organization, the Global Acquisition Finance Department under the IB4 Division to revitalize domestic and international acquisition finance.
The PF Group has established the Real Estate Finance Division to keep pace with a market restructuring centered on large firms.
Last year, KIS obtained the first license in Korea for Integrated Investment Account (IMA) business operations. Following the launch of its first IMA product in December of 2025, it has rapidly introduced products up to the fourth IMA product.
The funds raised from the first to the fourth products are expected to exceed 2 trillion won.
In 2025, KIS inked a business agreement with Goldman Sachs Asset Management to cooperate on providing financial products.
More recently, it signed an agreement with China’s Guotai Haitong Securities to break into Asia, agreeing to engage in comprehensive cooperation in the research, brokerage, and investment banking sectors.
On Mar. 23, KIS announces the launch of an RIA product and various benefits for RIA holders. (Photos: Korea Investment & Securities)
RIAs to Enhance Benefits for Customers Investing in Korean Stocks Domestically
KIS announced on Mar. 23 that it has launched a reshoring investment account (RIA) product which will discount fees and give prizes to customers who sell overseas stocks and begin investing in the Korean stock market.
RIA products offer temporary tax benefits when funds from the sale of overseas stocks are repatriated to the Korean market and used for long-term investment.
If overseas stocks are sold through the RIA system and invested in Korean stocks, etc., a capital gains tax deduction of 50% to 100% applies depending on the timing of the sale.
However, since the deduction rate may be adjusted if overseas stocks or foreign funds are traded in accounts other than RIAs, integrated account management is required.
KIS has established a trading environment and asset management system capable of stably supporting the entire process, given the nature of RIA accounts which provide a single flow from selling overseas stocks to currency exchange and long-term investment in Korean stocks.
KIS also enhanced trading convenience and benefits for customers returning to domestic investments through RIAs as well.
Customers who apply to participate in the KO-RIA promotion by April 30 and sell off overseas stocks deposited into their RIA accounts will receive preferential commission benefits.
KIS will lower automatic currency exchange fees by 90%.
Additionally, the first 10,000 applicants will receive an account opening support fund of 10,000 won, and customers who set their deposit limit to 30 million won or more will receive coffee coupons.
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