[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Foreign investors have continued to offload shares of Samsung Electronics, pushing their ownership stake to the lowest level this year.

According to data from Yonhap Infomax on May 20, foreign ownership in Samsung Electronics dropped to 48.42%.

The ratio had remained above 50% at the start of the year but fell below that threshold for the first time on March 4—shortly after geopolitical tensions escalated between the United States, Israel, and Iran—triggering broader market volatility.

Foreign investors have sold a net KRW 14.67 trillion worth of Samsung Electronics shares so far this month. This accounts for roughly 38.5% of the total KRW 38.15 trillion net foreign outflows from the KOSPI market during the same period.

The sustained selling pressure reflects a combination of macroeconomic and company-specific concerns. Rising global inflation and interest rate expectations have weighed on equity markets, while prolonged labor disputes at Samsung Electronics—particularly over bonus structures—have added to investor uncertainty.

The decline in foreign ownership highlights shifting capital flows and underscores growing sensitivity to geopolitical risks and domestic corporate issues in Korea’s largest listed company.

 

 

 

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