# Big investors think it might be time to buy in South Korea

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-08-03 09:07 UTC · Category: Business

## Executive Summary
Major institutional investors are reconsidering South Korean equities following a severe market washout and record selloffs.

## Intelligence Brief
Recent reporting across multiple financial publications indicates that major investors are shifting their perspective on South Korean equities following a period of intense market volatility. According to coverage from outlets including Reuters, Bloomberg.com, Yahoo Finance, Moomoo, and Chosun Ilbo, foreign investors have notably reversed course on Korean stocks after experiencing what is characterized as a record selloff and a subsequent market washout. This shift in sentiment occurs as the broader financial landscape reacts to shifting dynamics involving artificial intelligence-driven leverage liquidation waves that coverage notes are gradually subsiding. Concurrently, mentions of the 'Korean Wave' surging again have emerged alongside specific institutional forecasts regarding the future trajectory of local indexes. The coverage heavily emphasizes distinct and bullish projections from major financial institutions regarding South Korean market performance.


Specifically, Morgan Stanley has placed a significant bet on a substantial thirty-six percent surge in the KOSPI index, while Citi has reportedly proclaimed that the South Korean stock market is racing toward a theoretical ten-thousand-point era. These prominent forecasts are detailed across reports from Bloomberg.com and Moomoo, which highlight the specific stakes for investors watching the region. Yahoo Finance further contextualizes these developments by focusing on specific industry players and memory technology sectors, noting that Korean stocks have dipped again even as Morgan Stanley maintains its outlook for sharp growth ahead. Contextually, this renewed interest follows a turbulent phase for regional markets marked by heavy selling and structural deleveraging. Coverage from Chosun Ilbo underscores that foreign capital previously fled the market in a record selloff, creating the conditions for the current reappraisal by institutional players.


The interplay between automated leverage liquidations tied to artificial intelligence trends and the resilience of underlying corporate sectors provides the foundational backdrop for why large investors are currently re-evaluating entry points. While memory components and related semiconductor equities like SK Hynix remain in intense focus as noted by Yahoo Finance, the broader market narrative centers on whether the recent washout has effectively cleared out excess risk and established a viable floor for accumulation. Looking ahead, market participants will be monitoring whether the reversal in foreign investor flows solidifies into a sustained buying trend or remains a temporary fluctuation. Coverage does not yet specify exact timelines for when the projected surges by Morgan Stanley or Citi are expected to materialize, nor does it detail the specific defensive measures local regulators might implement should volatility return. Observers will track incoming data regarding the subsidence of AI-driven leverage liquidations and watch for subsequent movements in the KOSPI index to determine if the predicted thirty-six percent upside and the race toward the ten-thousand-point era gain broader consensus among institutional market participants.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| 조선일보 | Morgan Stanley: KOSPI 9,000 After 360,000 Margin Liquidations | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFBVV95cUxPR0Jad3o0OXJwV1BZRUNaOUVCMFpBOEtsRXBicEszel9xMFVCOFFpaHAyVEhzRjA3U2tNekZWdmVvQU5ubFg1UHZfT3RhUWxGX1VZZUFSdkxUNnNtYlN2UEFHRVhYVmJDcjdwSTRQcXJRdjdlRU5jUm9NVVlQS1lhOEdfQkVvM1d0RXFlc3V3?oc=5) |
| Korea JoongAng Daily | Markets Energized By Foreign Buying | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxOREllN09sYUpvd2xSQ08zMjVwdF9xZ3FQcHpyaWwyWHZHUWJVRGRrWERRd3A5ZFBNVXpTckU5d3AzQVc1MEUwMjJWQV80ZTdvZEh6bWtycXp5anZEQkY1ZGdkMm9KTWNiaGwwc1FoNXJBRnhKRkJhLVVUQ0ZrbGlmckVfdGRXM01XX09MZXRzUXcwZw?oc=5) |
| moomoo.com | Is the Korean stock market's "washout" nearly over? Several Wall Street investment banks believe the market may have already bottomed out. | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxPcU9oQzk0S3h3UUdNdkdwT0lRRFk0clNDMTdoWGxaa0h0cjhad0o1bGtpX2YzX251dEJOTjRDcUE0Qy0zcjQzRS0xWVVEeXcyWkxOYk45MXNqSVZxYVZ5VDgtNDF3bUJqNjRYZUp6c3pndFNXdV9Ccl9NVzZvTHJWWDQ4WE11M0dfdlJZOU1Lc1RsSERVRW01eTZXdjlOSVE?oc=5) |
| 조선일보 | Foreign Investors Reverse Course on Korean Stocks After Record Selloff | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFBVV95cUxQTnJvc1VkZThlbFV0Ty1OWmhacnZrcW13SlFGU1dMWmgzb3ZjVGpsS284eDdWd1hya1BlUEVVenU1OWw1R2VWdGEzem1HRHZ2dzlDb0pJOVNtTmtMeEVNVzR4bU9xWlpyZUdfenpZMjk1Sm1CWmphZURxbDRpVHQ4ajhSbWp3c0h1Q1hvUUp3?oc=5) |
| Moomoo | The AI-driven leverage liquidation wave is gradually subsiding, and the 'Korean Wave' is surging again! Morgan Stanley bets on a 36% surge in the KOSPI, while Citi proclaims that South Korea’s stock market is racing toward the '10,000-point era.' | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxOa202anRRUUJNX3FBV0Q1UHBabjVkdGVHQWgtTno4eFpGc2o1OVVXWXkzZXJzR0d4dkNKSmMzSnMzdWh6Z3hLTkh0UzludW01a3lKLWpWUXJ1WlctVnhQVDVEeUY5S1hjX2FqVGY5ZHRhZTZZNE1BX05xZ0UzaVcwVmI5UGRKUENrT2hNc0tZbEdJZzlkVHFXSi1teGJWVWlxaFFpTzJEekNwSGR1?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Finance | MU, SNDK, SKHY, DRAM In Focus: Korean Stocks Dip Again, But Morgan Stanley Sees Sharp Growth Ahead | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxQYllxSE1QYXJaZWpxX0tFSmdNNFl0cy0wRVVXQVhmY203a0t2aGRSek13WXFsRENXN0VDLXRNN1RlaUEzRG1DQU9aUmNXS1l0Ynpic2xuWC1NeVI4VTdMWjZqdDBMaDNpaVVhRjExTDE1WWhwaktFd3VwQ3NpX1gtclQzU19sQ3lRVGlobDEtRVpDdw?oc=5) |
| Bloomberg.com | Morgan Stanley Sees 36% Upside to Korean Stocks After ‘Washout’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisAFBVV95cUxPY1loWmphdUM5THpHSHRkeEJrZ3ZRZnNKVG4xQldWMnk5cjJib19JU0Z0MjdwZlJGT2dHU21iZmlLRmFnbUhWWVdtRlVLR01RVzI2a0JuQVJmZ1lSSklPM3BtWmlSSzVTcjNLOGl0TDNYbE4zeDBPdXdsR2d3TkZEWlhYa2RvWF9jRC1OWFRyQm9ZTUFnNUw3blJLQjhUMkdLMVNGSVU2WW9lOG1ncXBwdA?oc=5) |
| Reuters | Big investors think it might be time to buy in South Korea | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxOWkx6Tk1FMlZlOUVsdGp6Vlo3SmxOSnVXU05BdFVDNUZ2QXZDREpBYy1HSVdPTWtLMmpicnVCNE5Od2gzR2tvbEtneXAyM3o0U1FKREpnNDJHNFp1MDc4bURkMEg5aEhqV0I0ZzF6UGJUNkFPR0RhUGJWeEdwM2UtS3pxcktqQnhZazRvMXVBSXhSemk4ZDltRENIUmdNX0pTVV96VGpBQ0REVzQ?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-08-03/big-investors-think-it-might-be-time-to-buy-in-south-korea*