KRX Plans 8 p.m. Trading for Most Stocks

South Korea’s Korea Exchange will introduce an after-hours market that extends trading in most Kospi and Kosdaq stocks from the regular 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. session until 8 p.m. With Nextrade’s 8 a.m. premarket included, investors will have access to Korean equities for roughly 12 hours a day, giving them more opportunities to trade during European market hours. The move expands evening access from Nextrade’s roughly 610 stocks to nearly 2,400 listings, though some securities and exchange-traded funds will remain excluded. It follows strong demand for after-hours trading since Nextrade launched in 2025, as well as rising foreign participation and competition between the two venues over fees, execution and liquidity. Officials and market participants see the change as a step toward attracting global capital and eventually enabling near-round-the-clock trading, but caution that the extended session must demonstrate sufficient investor demand and liquidity.