Updated : 2026-01-24 01:12:56 KST
The world's most valuable asset by market cap, gold, is continuing its remarkable rally. But is it still a smart investment when its price has nearly doubled in a year? For more, our economics correspondent Park Jun-han is here in the studio to tell us about the recent hike in gold prices and suggest options for wisely investing in gold here in South Korea. Welcome, Jun-han. It's great to be back, Soo-jin. So Jun-han, I have heard that you went to Seoul's Jongno Jewelry District to cover the rising gold prices. What are some of the interesting aspects of your visit that you want to share with us? Right Soo-jin, on Wednesday, I went to the Jongno Jewelry District, where you can find hundreds of shops that sell gold and silver.
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market cap 시가 총액
rally 회복, 반등
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The visit happened to coincide with the purchasing price for one don of gold surpassing the 1 million Korean won, which is almost a five-fold increase in the last 6 years, and a twentyfold increase in under 25 years. Don is a traditional Korean unit of weight used for precious metals, with one don of gold equal to 3-point-75 grams. Let's take a closer look at a gold shop and factory I went to. The price of gold increases is not just an upward trend that has been going on in the past few months. Even though the price is rapidly rising, investors are actively buying it, an asset that does not decay, retains value, and is globally accepted.
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"My mother turns 60 this year, so I came to buy a gold bracelet as a commemorative gift. Gold prices have risen a lot recently, but I think they may continue to climb, so I felt it was better to buy it sooner rather than later." The sharp rise in gold prices has been particularly evident over the last few years, and especially when U.S. President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2025. In the past five years, the price of gold has risen from around 1-thousand-8-hundred-52 U.S. dollars per troy ounce to approximately 4-thousand-800 dollars. This is a 1-hundred-59-point-1 percent increase over that period. And when it comes to Korean won, the increase becomes far more pronounced.
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troy ounce 금, 은 등 귀금속과 보석의 중량단위이다
troy 트로이(금·은·보석 무게 측정 단위의 하나)
ounce 온스(무게 단위. 1/16 파운드. 28.35 그램)
pronounced 명백한, 뚜렷한; 두드러진, 현저한
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Over the same five-year period, the purchase price of gold jumped from just 271-thousand won per don, or 3-point-75 grams, to 993-thousand won. That marks a 266-point-4 percent increase. Although international gold prices have steeply risen, the hike is seen more prominently in Korea, with the dollar value against the Korean won appreciating by more than 33 percent in those five years. Alongside that, buying physical gold in Korea can add 15 percent to the price due to value-added tax and labor charges. "Now, (as you can see) this one kilogram gold bar I'm holding is worth more than 265 million Korean won, or roughly 180 thousand U.S. dollars."
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appreciate 진가를 알아보다[인정하다], 가치가 오르다
value-added tax 부가가치세(제품이나 부품 판매에 부과되는 세금으로, 부가 부분이 과세대상임; vat)
labor charge 인건비
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The managing director of the Korea Gold Exchange, whose company produces and sells billions of dollars' worth of gold and silver annually in Korea, says global uncertainty has driven the steep price hikes. "Global economic instability, ongoing wars, and uncertainty surrounding the U.S. dollar's depreciation have all combined to push gold prices sharply higher. With new issues continuing to emerge, including the situation involving Greenland just yesterday, uncertainty is intensifying, and that upward trend appears to be gaining further momentum."
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the Korea Gold Exchange 한국금거래소
depreciation 가치의 감소[저하]; (시가) 하락(<반의어> appreciation).
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Looking ahead, long-term gold prices will be shaped by a mix of inflationary trends, interest rates, and geopolitical risks. Alongside this, global economic uncertainty and monetary policy will also be key factors affecting prices. Jun-han, many people might consider gold as part of their investment portfolios. In that case, are there any tips for investors looking to minimize their tax burden? Soo-jin, it's always good to try to minimize both the amount of tax you pay and make investments efficiently. The first option someone might consider is buying physical gold. You buy gold bars or coins directly from reputable shops.
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reputable[ˈrepjətəbl] 평판이 좋은
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A good thing about that is owning something tangible, and it's great for long-term holding or passing on to children or other family members. But the problem is that you might not make a "profit" out of gold unless its price goes up by at least 15 percent. That's because of the 10% value-added tax in Korea, plus a labor charge of about 5 percent, which is already included when you buy gold. The second option is using the domestic KRX Gold Spot market. You can simply buy tiny amounts of gold through bank apps or your securities account, without owning physical gold in your hand. For KRX spot trading, capital gains on price differences are tax-exempt, making it very efficient for most people.
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KRX Gold Spot market 한국 거래소 금 현물시장
securities account 유가증권계정
tax-exempt 비과세의
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On top of that, you do not have to pay additional fees such as the 10 percent value-added tax unless you decide to withdraw the gold in a physical form. Lastly, there are options using ETFs, both domestic and international. In Korea, products like gold ETFs trade just like stocks on the KOSPI. When you sell a domestic ETF, the profit will be considered as dividend income, so you have to pay a total of 15-point-4 percent, including local tax, on profits when you sell. An alternative option is using a U.S. ETF like G-L-D that tracks international gold prices. Gains are combined with other overseas stock profits, and anything earned above 2.5 million won annually faces a 22% capital gains tax. Alright, Jun-han, thanks for sharing that wise investment advice. Always a pleasure, Soo-jin.
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ETF; Exchange Traded Fund, 상장지수펀드로 특정지수를 모방한 포트폴리오를 구성하여 산출된 가격을 상장시킴으로써 주식처럼 자유롭게 거래되도록 설계된 지수상품
dividend income 수입배당금, 배당소득
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영어 원문 출처 및 동영상 링크;
arirang news/Economy
https://m.arirang.com/news/view?id=291942