South Korean corporate reforms hit rough patch as Samsung digs in

The Straits Times · The Straits Times · 2026-11-06 09:36 UTC

South Korean corporate reforms stall as Samsung faces investor pressure over shareholder returns and governance changes. Read more at straitstimes.com.

- South Korean market reforms are uneven. Banks have moved ahead, but large chaebol, especially Samsung, are resisting change and slowing President Lee Jae Myung’s push to cut the “Korea Discount”.

- Samsung faces heavy investor pressure over low shareholder returns. It has huge profits and a 30 trillion won dividend plan, but investors want more buybacks, cancellations and simpler group structures.

- New rules and activist campaigns are raising the stakes. Treasury share cancellations are now required by September 2027, while funds such as Life Asset Management and Palliser Capital are pushing Samsung to act faster.

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