Kim Yong-hyun

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South Korean corporate surplus funds hit record high on chip boom

Presented the Q2 2026 flow-of-funds data

South Korean companies held 67.1 trillion won in surplus financial assets at the end of June, more than triple the record set three months earlier, as memory chip profits piled up at Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The boom has not slowed. Samsung reported 107.4 trillion won in third-quarter operating profit on October 22, the first time a private company has cleared 100 trillion won in a quarter.

Updated Oct 24

Notable Quotes

Net income at listed companies increased sharply from 111 trillion won in the first quarter to 189 trillion won in the second quarter. Higher net income at semiconductor companies, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, played a major role.

from South Korean corporate surplus funds hit record high on chip boom · Updated Oct 24

The semiconductor boom is expected to continue into the third quarter, suggesting that the decline in the household debt ratio will persist. There is even a possibility that it could fall below 80% within this year.

from South Korean corporate surplus funds hit record high on chip boom · Updated Oct 24

In the household sector, we saw a clear money move, with deposits at financial institutions declining as funds used to purchase stocks increased sharply.

from South Korean corporate surplus funds hit record high on chip boom · Updated Oct 24