Manager Oh Hyun-wook of the Info Business Dep't of KRX explains the workings of the SMILE Info Platform a t a meeting for customers on May 30 held at KRX head office in Busan.(Photos: KRX)

The Korea Exchange (KRX) launched the securities investment information portal on May 31, the SMILE (Securities Market Information Library of Exchange), KRX said.
KRX said the portal offers information on securities investments, including the information of listed companies, analyses on stocks by expert analysts, information on newly listed companies and Kosdaq technology analyses dealing with small companies’ shares on the Kosdaq market. The information on those small technology companies also includes their financial information and business operations.
The SMILE portal will carry warnings on some shares so investors can rethink their investment. Information will also be available on short selling and resolutions on conflicts to protect customers.
Chief analyst Kim Hak-song of the Analyst Information Team said all information on Kosdaq listed companies, including analyses on their shares, will be put on the portal and marketable securities will also be added on the portal.
KRX said they will make the SMILE an integrated investment information portal after strengthening content and functions. The information on the startups on Kosdaq and Konex will also be added later to help the investors to make comprehensive plans for their next investments in shares.
In the meantime, the emergence of Kosdaq venture funds may attract around 1 trillion won in new funds to the Kosdaq market with market experts deciding that venture funds with good results will be included in Kosdaq 150 and KRX 300 indices.
Those experts figure that venture firms listed on Kosdaq market would total around 577. KRX will have 26 new firms listed, while Kosdaq will have 150 new venture firms listed. Following the government’s recent announcement, it plans to increase fiscal support for innovative startups and venture firms and revitalize second-tier markets, the Kosdaq has slowly rebounded, closing above the 700-marker last week for the first time in a year and two months.
And will the nation’s tech-heavy stock market get a boost from the government’s venture support? Some experts have a positive outlook.
According to the experts, while stock buying is likely to slow as the end of the year approaches, the overall market is expected to continue to rise. The Kosdaq is expected to surpass 800 next year — a mark it has not glimpsed the since November 2007.
They pointed to the government’s new venture business and Kosdaq visions, which have been further stimulated by improved investment sentiments, as reasons for the forecasts.
As part of the government’s latest economic blueprint, the Moon Jae-in administration says it will stimulate economic growth centered on developing small and medium-sized enterprises. The Korean government announced earlier this month that it will invest a total of 30 trillion won ($26.9 billion) over the next three years to help bolster startups and venture capitalists to secure a new sources of growth.
The government announced it would also lower taxes set on profits gained from stock options for startups companies and said it would boost second- and third-tier exchange markets, such as the Kosdaq, in an effort support SMEs in increasing capital gains garnered via stock sales.
“The Kosdaq has strengthened its upward momentum as the government announced its intention to gradually increase its investments in Kosdaq starting next year,” said Kim Yoon-suh, a researcher at Shinhan Investment.
The government is also expected to recommend the National Pension Fund to allocate 10 percent of its funds to investments in the Kosdaq market starting next year. Of the 134 trillion won in equity investment in Korea’s pension fund as of September, the Kosdaq accounts for roughly 3 trillion won, or 2 percent.

The SMILE homepage.