Chairman Chey Tae-won Warns of Continued Stock Market Roller-Coaster

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won cautioned that global stock market volatility may persist at elevated levels, citing heightened sensitivity to political and policy events like the U.S. midterm elections. Speaking at a lecture at Seoul National University on Nov. 5, Chey pointed to the sharp market reaction following the U.S. midterm elections as evidence of how swiftly investor sentiment can shift.

"Even a single midterm election can cause the market to react violently," he noted. Chey advised investors not to become overly preoccupied with foreign political events, emphasizing that the direct impact of the U.S. midterm elections on Korean companies should be considered separately from short-term market trends. "Regardless of what happens in the midterm elections, I hope we can live by thinking, 'What does that have to do with us?'" he said.

However, Chey acknowledged that the market's reaction to the election results suggests AI-related stocks may have been viewed unfavorably. He attributed the increased market volatility to the excessive liquidity injected into the global economy over the past two decades, following the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Too much money has already been pumped into the market," Chey said, adding that such concentration of capital can amplify both rallies and declines. Chey's comments come as AI and semiconductor stocks drive both Korean and global equity markets, with expectations for AI growth attracting significant capital inflows. He also highlighted the unprecedented scale of investment competition in AI, noting that even he had questioned the appropriateness of announcing projects on this scale.

Chey emphasized that the AI investment race is a global phenomenon, with the whole world participating. He stressed that Korea must respond to the evolving industrial landscape by enhancing AI capabilities and creating new growth opportunities. The lecture, attended by about 450 people, underscored that the current stock market volatility is tied to the broader structural transformation in the global economy, particularly the massive capital flows in AI and semiconductors.