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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] SEOUL, July 4, 2025 — The National Pension Service (NPS) of South Korea made notable changes to its investment portfolio in June, increasing its exposure to securities firms, financial holding companies, and entertainment-related stocks, while scaling back its stakes in electronic components, battery producers, and food companies.
According to disclosures filed with the Financial Supervisory Service, the NPS increased its holdings in several domestic companies by more than 1 percentage point, triggering mandatory reporting requirements under Korea’s capital markets law.
In the financial sector, the pension fund significantly raised its stakes in major securities companies. It purchased approximately 3.06 million additional shares of NH Investment & Securities, increasing its ownership from 8.35% to 9.38%. The fund also acquired 2.27 million shares of Hanwha Investment & Securities, bringing its stake to 7.11%, and added a smaller number of shares in Daishin Securities to bring its holding to 5%.
The NPS also raised its holdings in financial holding companies. It acquired 590,000 shares of Korea Financial Holdings and 1.52 million shares of iM Financial Holdings, raising its stakes to 7.11% and 8.83%, respectively. However, it reduced its position in BNK Financial Group by 3.6 million shares, lowering its ownership from 9.63% to 8.57%, likely due to concerns over the company’s declining Q1 performance.
In the entertainment and media sector, the NPS expanded its holdings in key players. It increased its stake in JYP Entertainment to 5.03% by acquiring an additional 50,000 shares, and boosted its ownership of YG Entertainment from 5.15% to 7.24% with the purchase of 390,000 shares. It also added to its position in broadcaster SBS.
The pension fund also made sizable investments in the gaming industry. It bought additional shares in Netmarble, DoubleU Games, and NCSoft, resulting in respective ownership stakes of 6.15%, 7.96%, and 8.34%. The combined value of these purchases is estimated at over KRW 104.8 billion based on end-of-June share prices.
Conversely, the NPS trimmed its positions in the electronics and secondary battery sectors. It sold 120,000 shares of Samsung SDI, reducing its stake from 7.88% to 6.87%. It also decreased its holdings in semiconductor-related firm Haesung DS and flexible printed circuit board maker BH Co., with the latter falling below the 5% disclosure threshold.
In the secondary battery segment, the NPS lowered its stakes in L&F and Ecopro Materials by 1.21% and 1.02%, respectively, bringing both below 5%.
Food-related stocks were also reduced. The NPS cut its holdings in Ottogi, Nongshim, and Lotte Chilsung Beverage by around 1%, ending with ownership levels of 4.99%, 9.99%, and 7.65%, respectively. However, the fund increased its investment in Samyang Foods by 1.05%, likely due to strong stock performance driven by the global popularity of its “Buldak” spicy noodles.
Additionally, the NPS raised its stakes in HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Kakao by 1.00% and 1.04%, respectively, reflecting continued interest in industrial and tech sectors.
These adjustments reflect the NPS’s ongoing efforts to diversify its portfolio and optimize returns amid shifting market dynamics and global investment trends.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
