South Koreans Liquidate Savings to Invest in SK Hynix and Samsung

South Korean retail investors are withdrawing savings, fixed deposits, and life insurance funds to invest in SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, driven by AI chip demand. According to BeInCrypto, savings bank deposits fell below ₩100 trillion ($66.24 billion) for the first time in four years, while commercial bank time deposits dropped by roughly ₩12 trillion ($7.94 billion) since February. Investors over 50 now hold about 62% of all margin loans at South Korea’s top brokerages, with margin debt among those in their 60s doubling in a year. SK Hynix and Samsung account for roughly 42% of the KOSPI, with SK Hynix gaining 265% and Samsung climbing 162% since November.