South Korean Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom Defends Samsung‑SK Hynix Leverage ETF Amid Opposition

Kim Yong-beom, head of the presidential policy office, told reporters that delisting the single‑stock leveraged exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix would be extremely disruptive and therefore “hard to imagine.” The government meanwhile announced measures such as raising the basic deposit for leveraged‑ETF investors to 30 million won and restricting the deposit to cash only, aiming to curb market volatility.

Opposition lawmakers reacted sharply, demanding Kim’s immediate resignation and calling for a special investigation into the policy’s design and implementation. Lawmakers accused him of conflicts of interest, alleged abuse of authority, and criticized the rushed introduction of the products. President Lee Jae‑myung instructed officials to quickly prepare supplementary measures, while critics warned that the policy could damage investor confidence and turn the capital market into a speculative arena.