South Korea’s major exchanges will extend stock trading hours until 8 p.m. starting September 14

Starting from September 14, major South Korean stock exchanges will open trading on almost all local stocks until 8:00 p.m. on Mondays, whereas the previous regular closing time was 3:30 p.m. This is the first case among major Asian exchanges, aligning with the global trend towards around-the-clock markets. The new measures launching next Monday in South Korea will test whether sufficient liquidity can be maintained during longer trading hours and whether investors truly need the extra time—even as interest in South Korean stocks is cooling. Lee Young-jae, Senior Investment Manager at Lombard Odier Asset Management, said: "A longer trading window usually means investors have more flexibility, making the market more efficient. More trading-oriented, higher-turnover investors or hedge fund-type investors may use it more frequently." Edward Kim, Head of Korea Equity Sales at Bank of America, said this is "another step in the ongoing evolution of Korea's capital market and its accessibility to global investors."