• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.55-62
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• 2013

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to suggest a risk factor that significantly explains foreign currency risk premia. In recent years, some studies have found that the performance of the simultaneous consumption risk model improves considerably when tested on foreign currency portfolios, which are constructed based on the international interest rates differentials. However, this paper focuses on the long-run consumption risk factor. In our empirical research, we found that the real excess returns of high interest rate currency portfolios depreciate on average, when the future American long-run consumption growth rate appears low. This makes the high interest rate currency portfolios have relatively high risk premia. Meanwhile, the real excess returns of low interest rate currency portfolios appreciate on average, under the same conditions, which results in relatively low risk premia for these portfolios. Therefore, this long-run consumption risk factor might explain why low interest rate currencies do not appreciate as much as the interest rate differential, and why high interest rate currencies do not depreciate as much as the interest rate differential. Research design, data, methodology - In our explanation, we provide new evidence on the success of long-run consumption risks in currency risk premia by focusing on the long-run consumption risks borne by American representative investors. To uncover the hidden link between exchange rates and long-run consumption growth, we set the eight currency portfolios as our basic assets, which have been built based on the foreign interest rates of eighty countries. As these eight currency portfolios are rebalanced every year, the first group always contains the lowest interest rate currencies, and the last group contains the highest interest rate currencies. Against these basic eight currency portfolios, we estimate the long-run consumption risk model. We use recursive utility framework and the stochastic discount factor that depends on the present value of expected future consumption growth rates. We find that our model is optimized in the two-year period of constructing the durable consumption expectation factor. Our main results surprisingly surpass the performance of the existing benchmark simultaneous consumption model in terms of R², relatively risk aversion coefficient γ, and p-value of J-test. Results - The performance of our model is superior. R², relatively risk aversion coefficient γ, and p-value of J-test of our long-run durable consumption model are 90%, 93%, and 65.5%, respectively, while those of EZ-DCAPM are 87%, 113%, and 62.8%, respectively. Thus, we can speculate that the risk premia in foreign currency markets have been determined by the long-run consumption risk. Conclusions - The aggregate long-run consumption growth risk explains a large part of the average change in the real excess returns of foreign currency portfolios. The real excess returns of high interest rate currency portfolios depreciate on average when American long-run consumption growth rate is low, and the real excess returns of low interest rate currency portfolios appreciate under the same conditions. Thus, the low interest rate currency portfolios allow investors to hedge against aggregate long-run consumption growth risk.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.83-95
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• 2014

In this paper, we develop a portfolio selection model that can be used to invest in markets with margin requirements such as the foreign exchange market. An investment algorithm to implement the proposed portfolio selection model based on objective historical data is also presented. We further conduct empirical analysis on the performance of a hypothetical investment in the foreign exchange market, using the proposed portfolio selection model and investment algorithm. Using 7 currency pairs that recorded the highest trading volume in the foreign exchange market during the most recent 10 years, we compare the performance of 1) the Dollar Index, 2) a 1/N Portfolio which equally allocates capital to all N assets considered for investment, and 3) a hypothetical investment portfolio selected and managed according to the portfolio selection model and investment algorithm proposed in this paper. Performance is compared in terms of accumulated returns and Sharpe ratios for the 10-year period from January 2003 to December 2012. The results show that the hypothetical investment portfolio outperforms both benchmarks, with superior performance especially during the period following financial crisis. Overall, this paper suggests that a mathematical approach for selecting and managing an optimal investment portfolio based on objective data can achieve outstanding performance in the foreign exchange market.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2015

In this paper, we propose a portfolio selection model utilizing a Markov chain for investing in the foreign exchange market based on market forecasts and exchange rate movement predictions. The proposed model is utilized to compute optimum investment portfolio weights for investing in margin-based markets such as the FX margin market. We further present an objective investment algorithm for applying the proposed model in real-life investments. Empirical performance of the proposed model and investment algorithm is evaluated by conducting an experiment in the FX market consisting of the 7 most traded currency pairs, for a period of 9 years, from the beginning of 2005 to the end of 2013. We compare performance with 1) the Dollar Index, 2) a 1/N Portfolio that invests the equal amount in the N target assets, and 3) the Barclay BTOP FX Index. Performance is compared in terms of cumulated returns and Sharpe ratios. The results suggest that the proposed model outperforms all benchmarks during the period of our experiment, for both performance measures. Even when compared in terms of pre- and post-financial crisis, the proposed model outperformed all other benchmarks, showing that the model based on objective data and mathematical optimization achieves superior performance empirically.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.113-127
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper investigates whether financial crises could be the indicators of capital outflow waves or vice versa in Korea. Korea has experienced two severe financial crises, which are the Asian Crisis and the global financial crisis. Although there were many variables associated with these two remarkable events, one notable variable was gross capital outflows, which had significantly increased around them. Motivated by existing literature which built theoretical frameworks explaining the relationship between capital flight and financial crises, we examine the empirical evidence for this relationship. Design/methodology - We use panel data from 61 countries including Korea from 1980 to 2009 to study the associations between capital flight and diverse financial crises such as banking, currency, debt, and inflation crises. To be specific, we use the complementary log-log model to see whether capital outflow waves are reliable indicators for domestic financial crises. Findings - The results show, first, that banking, currency, and inflation crises are associated with capital flight. Second, debt crises are also associated with capital flight, but the result is not robust to different specifications. And, third, the positive associations between capital flight and crises are mainly driven by banking flows rather than FDI and portfolio flows. Originality/value - This paper is one of a few studies that investigates domestic (not foreign) investors' behavior during financial turmoil. Furthermore, theoretical studies which provide contradictory explanations on the movements of gross capital outflows during financial crises emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.33-51
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• 1999

After the 1997 currency crisis, the real estate prices had been rapidly dropped and the deregulation in the Korean real estate merket has been performed. It is analyzed whether these transactions caused a structural change in real estate market, or not. The Pettitt test shows there exists a turing point in real estate prices in 1998. It is found that the degrees of co-movement between the change in real estate prices and real GDP growth rate are increased. Consequently, the factor, represented as real GDP growth rate, determining the market fundamental of real estate prices will effect on the behavioral pattern and the real estate prices in the long run. While the factors determining the portfolio selection behaviors, such as interest rate and stock prices, will cause short-term variations.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.39-50
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• 2022

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine how Korea's macroeconomic factors, such as GDP, CPI, Export, Import, Unemployment rate and USD/KRW exchange rate, are affected by the oil price shocks. Design/methodology/approach - This study used monthly and quarterly time-series data of each variable for the period 1983 to 2022, consisting of two sub-periods, to employ Granger causality test and GARCH method in order to identify the role of the oil price movement in macroeconomic factors in Korea. Findings - Korea's currency rate to the US dollar is negatively correlated with the price change of crude oil while the GDP change is positively correlated with the price change of crude oil with strong relationship between Export and Import in particular. The exchange rate and GDP growth are believed to be not correlated with the oil price change for the pre-GFC period. According to the Granger causality test, the price change in crude oil has a causal impact on CPI, Export and Import while other factors are relatively slightly affected. Transmission effect from the oil price to Export is found and there also exists volatility spillover from oil price to economic variables under examination. Comparing two sub-periods, CPI and Export volatility responds negatively to shocks in the oil price for the pre-GFC period while volatility of CPI and Unemployment reacts positively to the oil price shocks for the post-GFC period. Research implications or Originality - The findings of this study could be helpful for both domestic and international investors to build their portfolio for the risk management since rising WTI price can be interpreted as a result of global economic growth and ensuing increase in the worldwide demand of the crude oil. Consequently, the national output is expected to increase and the currency is also expected to be strong in the long run.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.229-241
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• 2014

In 1997 the Asian Foreign Currency Crisis hit Korean shores. In its wake, Korean consumers demanded cost-saving solutions which will increase both the use-life and the fuel efficiency their vehicles. Bullsoneshot's effects include increases in gas mileage as well as cleaner cylinders, intakes and exhaust valves, the product was welcomed by an explosive demand from people driving older cars in an adverse economy. The history of Bullsone can be categorized as two major stages. The First stage is lunching era of "Bullone Shot" following competitor brand. The second stage is extension stage of brand and line based on Bullsone's positive brand equity. Mr. Hyun Woo Shin, formal CEO of OXY inc. and also formal vice president of OCI (Oriental Chemical Industries) take charge of New CEO of Bullsone. He energetically push the Bullsone's family brands and got a desirable results. He also setup ambitious goal : reach 100bn KRW in gross sales within 3 years. "Ripping itself free from 30~40 bn KRW sales range in which the company has stagnated in the last 10 years, Bullsone intends to be aggressive enough in marketing to reach 150 bn KRW in sales in 2013, and reach 700 bn KRW by 2018." This is the goal iterated by Bullsone's top executive team.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.125-151
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• 2004

This study tests the price discovery from US Treasury bond markets to Korean bond markets using the daily returns of Korean bond data (CD, 3-year T-note, 5-year T-note, 5-year corporate note) and US treasury bond markets (3-month T-bill, 5-year T-note 10-year T-bond) from July 1, 1998 to December 31, 2003. For further research, we divide full data into two sub-samples on the basis of the start-up of bond valuation system in Korean bond market July 1, 2000, employing uni-variate AR(1)-GARCH(1,1)-M model. The main results are as follows. First the volatility spillover effects from US Treasury bond markets (3-month T-bill, 5-year T-note, 10-year T-bond) to Korean Treasury and Corporate bond markets (CD, 3-year T-note, 5-year T-note, 5-year corporate note) are significantly found at 1% confidence level. Second, the price discovery function from US bond markets to Korean bond markets in the sub-data of the pre-bond valuation system exists much stronger and more persistent than those of the post-bond valuation system. In particular, the role of 10-year T-bond compared with 3-month T-bill and 5-year T-note is outstanding. We imply these findings result from the international capital market integration which is accelerated by the broad opening of Korean capital market after 1997 Korean currency crisis and the development of telecommunication skill. In addition, these results are meaningful for bond investors who are in charge of capital asset pricing valuation, risk management, and international portfolio management.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.81-96
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• 2016

As the internet has become widespread and easy to access everywhere, it is common for people to search information via online search engines such as Google and Naver in everyday life. Recent studies have used online search volume of specific keyword as a measure of the internet users' attention in order to predict disease outbreaks such as flu and cancer, an unemployment rate, and an index of a nation's economic condition, and etc. For stock traders, web search is also one of major information resources to obtain data about individual stock items. Therefore, search volume of a stock item can reflect the amount of investors' attention on it. The investor attention has been regarded as a crucial factor influencing on stock price but it has been measured by indirect proxies such as market capitalization, trading volume, advertising expense, and etc. It has been theoretically and empirically proved that an increase of investors' attention on a stock item brings temporary increase of the stock price and the price recovers in the long run. Recent development of internet environment enables to measure the investor attention directly by the internet search volume of individual stock item, which has been used to show the attention-induced price pressure. Previous studies focus mainly on Dow Jones and NASDAQ market in the United States. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the individual investors' attention measured by the internet search volumes and stock price changes of individual stock items in the KOSDAQ market in Korea, where the proportion of the trades by individual investors are about 90% of the total. In addition, we examine the difference between industries in the influence of investors' attention on stock return. The internet search volume of stocks were gathered from "Naver Trend" service weekly between January 2007 and June 2015. The regression model with the error term with AR(1) covariance structure is used to analyze the data since the weekly prices in a stock item are systematically correlated. The market capitalization, trading volume, the increment of trading volume, and the month in which each trade occurs are included in the model as control variables. The fitted model shows that an abnormal increase of search volume of a stock item has a positive influence on the stock return and the amount of the influence varies among the industry. The stock items in IT software, construction, and distribution industries have shown to be more influenced by the abnormally large internet search volume than the average across the industries. On the other hand, the stock items in IT hardware, manufacturing, entertainment, finance, and communication industries are less influenced by the abnormal search volume than the average. In order to verify price pressure caused by investors' attention in KOSDAQ, the stock return of the current week is modelled using the abnormal search volume observed one to four weeks ahead. On average, the abnormally large increment of the search volume increased the stock return of the current week and one week later, and it decreased the stock return in two and three weeks later. There is no significant relationship with the stock return after 4 weeks. This relationship differs among the industries. An abnormal search volume brings particularly severe price reversal on the stocks in the IT software industry, which are often to be targets of irrational investments by individual investors. An abnormal search volume caused less severe price reversal on the stocks in the manufacturing and IT hardware industries than on average across the industries. The price reversal was not observed in the communication, finance, entertainment, and transportation industries, which are known to be influenced largely by macro-economic factors such as oil price and currency exchange rate. The result of this study can be utilized to construct an intelligent trading system based on the big data gathered from web search engines, social network services, and internet communities. Particularly, the difference of price reversal effect between industries may provide useful information to make a portfolio and build an investment strategy.