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Ryu Young-sang (left) tours the Samsung Electronics booth with Roh Tae-moon during MWC26 in Barcelona on March 2. (SK Telecom) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, June 1, 2026 — Top executives at South Korea’s leading chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, have recorded substantial unrealized gains from their shareholdings as the companies’ stock prices surged to new highs, industry filings showed.
According to regulatory disclosures, the combined valuation of treasury stock holdings by five registered executives at the two firms reached approximately KRW 101.2 billion ($74 million) as of late May.
Kwak Noh-jung posted the largest gain among the executives. His holdings of 14,312 shares were valued at around KRW 33.4 billion, based on the May 29 closing price, implying an unrealized profit of roughly KRW 23.6 billion and a return of 241%.
Cha Seon-yong recorded even higher returns, exceeding 400%, largely driven by stock option exercises executed earlier in May.
At Samsung Electronics, Roh Tae-moon reported shareholdings valued at approximately KRW 31.2 billion. He accumulated about 28,000 shares between 2021 and 2024 at an average purchase price of KRW 71,000, generating an unrealized return of 347% based on the latest closing price. Including shares received as bonuses, his overall return stands at around 180%.
Other senior executives, including Jun Young-hyun and Kim Yong-kwan, also held shares valued at approximately KRW 10.4 billion and KRW 10.2 billion, respectively.
Market analysts expect further upside in semiconductor stocks, citing ongoing supply constraints in the memory chip sector. Kim Dong-won said the industry’s current cycle remains in its early stages, likening it to “just passing the 5-kilometer mark in a marathon.”
Shinhan Securities also forecast that a supply-demand imbalance in the memory market could persist through at least 2027, supporting continued share price momentum for major chipmakers.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
