South Korea’s stock market is one of the largest in Asia. The nation is home to huge conglomerates including Samsung and Hyundai. And yet Korea is still listed as an emerging market — not a developed one — by MSCI, the investment research firm that provides influential market indexes. Korea argues it should be elevated to MSCI’s World Index, where it would sit alongside the US, UK, Germany and other developed economic powers. The company is expected to decide this month.

Bloomberg’s Youkyung Lee and Henry Ren join this episode to talk about why this move matters so much to South Korea — and why some companies and market watchers are having second thoughts about whether such a move is a good idea — or even worth it. 

Read more: Why Bringing a $1.8 Trillion Stock Market to the Big Leagues Could Backfire

Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK 

Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.