Korea Exchange said on March 9 that its chairman, Jung Eun-bo (정은보), will sign contracts on March 10 local time in Boca Raton with Eurex and ICE Futures US to fully expand trading hours for Korea-linked index derivatives.

Under the contracts, investors will be able to trade Korea-linked derivatives through European and U.S. exchanges without time constraints. The products covered are Eurex's MSCI Korea index futures and ICE Futures US' FTSE South Korea index futures.

The move is part of a government roadmap for inclusion in the MSCI developed market index, under a task to improve access to Korea-linked derivatives.

Jung said the deals would enable 24-hour trading of Korea-linked index futures through American and European exchanges, and that he expects it will boost liquidity across the global market for Korea-linked derivatives, including KOSPI200 futures.

During the conference, Jung plans to meet senior MSCI executives to share updates on access improvements, including expanded trading hours for Korea-linked derivatives and efforts to promote English-language disclosures, and to request cooperation for inclusion in the MSCI developed market index.

He also plans to highlight the standing of South Korea's capital market, which he said has grown to the world's ninth largest by market capitalization, at $3.76 trillion as of Feb. 26.

Jung will then travel to London on March 13 local time to hold a global roadshow on the South Korean stock market for about 30 global institutional investors, including global asset managers and hedge funds. The roadshow is held under the theme "KOSPI 6000 and Beyond".

At the event, he will focus on introducing market infrastructure improvements, including revisions to commercial and tax laws to raise shareholder value, promotion of English-language disclosures, improvements to dividend procedures and a shorter settlement cycle.

Jung added that through the roadshow he will actively explain to global investors the achievements of capital market system reforms being pursued by the government and the Korea Exchange, and the changed investment environment in South Korea, and that he will work to help the South Korean stock market establish itself as a global premium market.