South Korean investors launch 'People and Shareholders' political party

After a sharp 25% drop in the KOSPI index, driven by uncertainty over AI and semiconductor investments and heavy use of leveraged ETFs, more than 1.2 million margin‑call accounts were hit. Within a single day, over 360 000 individual accounts—62% belonging to investors under 35—were liquidated, wiping out assets of hundreds of thousands of retail traders.

In response, a coalition of the affected investors, representing roughly 14 million South Koreans, announced the formation of a new political party to defend shareholder rights. The Korea Shareholder Movement Center said registration for the provisional “People and Shareholders” party began on 30 July, with the official name set as the “People and Shareholders Party.” Under Korean law the party must recruit at least 5 000 members across five regions to be formally recognised. Organisers say the movement could shift the balance of power in domestic politics despite its initially limited parliamentary influence.