A sea change is afoot in South Korea, where a new corporate governance code promises to overhaul the country’s business dynamics. Some believe that could help its stocks shake off the so-called “Korea Discount” as it tears a page from Japan’s playbook in a bid to mimic the Nikkei 225’s rejuvenation.

Investors have taken notice and have channelled more than $8 billion into Korean stocks during January and February 2024 as they seek to cash in.

Can South Korea’s new boldness shake up its rigid corporate culture and reinvigorate its equity markets? Are companies even ready for American style shareholder activism?

Activist investor Changhwan Lee, Founder & CEO of Align Partners, discusses his proxy fight over SM Entertainment and Korea’s changing investment landscape with co-hosts John Lee and Tom Corbett.

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South Korea's Activist Investors Smell Opportunity