Interactive Brokers (IBKR) welcomed the Korea Exchange's launch of after-hours trading on the 14th, saying longer sessions could improve liquidity and allow foreign investors to respond more quickly to overseas developments affecting Korean stocks. David Friedland, head of Asia-Pacific at IBKR, told The Seoul Economic Daily on the 16th that global markets are also moving toward longer trading hours. IBKR criticized the exclusion of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from the extended session, arguing that the decision restricts investor choice despite strong client demand for leveraged ETFs and funds tracking the Standard & Poor's 500. The Nasdaq-listed brokerage began offering Korean stock trading in May through an omnibus account for foreign investors with Samsung Securities and has since expanded cooperation with Daol Investment & Securities. Friedland said demand exceeded expectations, with thousands of people trading from the day after IBKR notified only two clients about the launch. He also said retail investors are increasingly seeking undervalued Korean companies beyond Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Friedland viewed the abolition of foreign investor registration, omnibus accounts and the planned move toward T+1 settlement as steps toward global standards, but cited continuing problems with short selling through omnibus accounts and abnormal-trading alerts caused by aggregated orders. He questioned the rationale for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix share buybacks, while acknowledging that repurchases can signal management confidence. He rejected the idea that leveraged ETFs are responsible for recent volatility, pointing instead to concentration in hot products and FOMO, and called for investor education on leverage, fundamentals and risk. Despite foreign net selling and market volatility, Friedland said the Korean market's long-term outlook remains positive because its fundamentals have not materially changed and companies linked to K-culture and K-beauty have global influence.