Korean retail investors suffer from "fear of missing out": borrowing to trade stocks hits record high, and the number of underage stock accounts surges tenfold

Glonhui May 14丨According to China News Service Jingwei, signs of frenzy are evident throughout the Korean stock market. According to data compiled by Toss Securities, in the first quarter of this year, the number of new accounts opened by minors under 18 in Korea surged nearly 10 times compared to the same period last year. According to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association, at the beginning of May, the margin balance in the Korean stock market soared to a record 36.3 trillion won, an increase of 32% compared to the end of December last year. However, this figure is just the "tip of the iceberg," as many loans used to purchase stocks are often categorized under other types of credit.