"University Students Flock to Stock Investment: Surge in Mock Investment Competition Participants"

Number of Participants in the HANTOO Securities Mock Investment Competition Surpasses 9,300 as of March 16

Interest in stock investment among university students has risen significantly over the past year.

According to Korea Investment & Securities on March 19, the number of participants in the ongoing mock investment competition for university students exceeded 9,300 as of March 16. This figure represents an approximately 76% surge compared to the average number of participants (5,286) in the four competitions held last year. Considering that registration for this year's competition continues until March 29, the final number of participants is expected to increase even further.

The explosive increase in university student participants is interpreted as an indicator of a shift in perception among people in their twenties, reflecting a move beyond simple curiosity about the stock market toward actively managing their own assets and planning for the future. Hundreds of students have also been gathering at each session of the ‘HANTOO Campus Tour,’ which Korea Investment & Securities is currently conducting across universities nationwide.

The annual mock investment competition for university students, regularly hosted by Korea Investment & Securities, is regarded as a leading opportunity to experience the market without risk before engaging in actual trading. Participants can develop suitable investment habits and build practical skills through various leagues organized on individual, team, and university levels. Based on their performance, participants can receive not only prize money and certificates, but also benefits such as recruitment-linked internship opportunities and exemptions from the document screening stage of open recruitment.

The company explained that the ‘HANTOO Campus Tour,’ an on-site communication program, was also designed to help the future leaders of the capital market develop sound investment perspectives. At the campus tour held at Hongik University the previous day, participants responded enthusiastically to in-depth explanations on practical investment techniques and ways to participate in the capital market.

A representative from Korea Investment & Securities stated, “We plan to continue expanding both online and offline communication channels so that university students can settle into the capital market stably,” adding, “Beyond simply providing investment experience, we will actively support the growth of young people through professional financial education and recruitment benefits.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.