What We’re Building A Python-based Korean stock screener that: Pulls data from KRX via pykrx Filters stocks by multiple criteria (PER, PBR, volume) Exports results to CSV Can be automated with GitHub Actions Setup pip install pykrx pandas Complete Screener Code from pykrx import stock import pandas as pd from datetime import datetime, timedelta class KoreanStockScreener: def __init__(self, market="KOSPI"): self.market = market self.today = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d") def get_all_data(self): fundamentals = stock.get_market_fundamental_by_ticker( self.today, market=self.market ) market_cap = stock.get_market_cap_by_ticker( self.today, market=self.market ) df = pd.concat([fundamentals, market_cap[["시가총액", "거래량"]]], axis=1) df["name"] = [stock.get_market_ticker_name(t) for t in df.index] return df def screen(self, max_per=15, max_pbr=1.5, min_div=2.0, min_volume=100000): df = self.get_all_data() filtered = df[ (df["PER"] > 0) & (df["PER"] < max_per) & (df["PBR"] > 0) & (df["PBR"] < max_pbr) & (df["DIV"] > min_div) & (df["거래량"] > min_volume) ] return filtered[["name", "PER", "PBR", "DIV", "시가총액", "거래량"]] def export(self, df, filename="screener_results.csv"): df.to_csv(filename, encoding="utf-8-sig") print(f"Saved {len(df)} stocks to {filename}") # Run screener screener = KoreanStockScreener(market="KOSPI") results = screener.screen(max_per=12, max_pbr=1.2, min_div=3.0) print(results.head(20)) screener.export(results) Automating with GitHub Actions Create .github/workflows/screener.yml: ...

Overview In this guide, we’ll build a free automated stock alert system that: Runs every day at market open (9 AM KST) Screens Korean stocks using pykrx Sends alerts via Telegram Requires zero server infrastructure (GitHub Actions is free) Prerequisites GitHub account Telegram account Basic Python knowledge Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot Open Telegram and search for @BotFather Send /newbot command Choose a name and username for your bot Save the API token you receive Step 2: Get Your Chat ID Send a message to your new bot Visit: https://api.telegram.org/bot<YOUR_TOKEN>/getUpdates Find your chat_id in the response Step 3: Create the Alert Script # alert.py import requests from pykrx import stock from datetime import datetime import os TELEGRAM_TOKEN = os.environ["TELEGRAM_TOKEN"] TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID = os.environ["TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID"] def send_telegram(message): url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_TOKEN}/sendMessage" payload = {"chat_id": TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID, "text": message, "parse_mode": "HTML"} requests.post(url, json=payload) def get_top_movers(): today = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d") df = stock.get_market_ohlcv_by_ticker(today, market="KOSPI") df["change_pct"] = (df["종가"] - df["시가"]) / df["시가"] * 100 top_gainers = df.nlargest(5, "change_pct") return top_gainers def main(): movers = get_top_movers() message = "<b>Korean Market Alert - Top Movers Today</b>\n\n" for ticker, row in movers.iterrows(): name = stock.get_market_ticker_name(ticker) message += f"{name} ({ticker}): +{row['change_pct']:.1f}%\n" send_telegram(message) if __name__ == "__main__": main() Step 4: GitHub Actions Workflow Create .github/workflows/alert.yml: ...

Overview If you’re building a Korean stock trading system in Python, you’ll encounter two main tools: KIS API and pykrx. Here’s a detailed breakdown of when to use each. What is pykrx? pykrx is an open-source library that scrapes publicly available data from the KRX website. It requires no account or API key. Best for: Historical data research Backtesting trading strategies Stock screening and analysis Learning and prototyping What is KIS API? KIS API is the official API from Korea Investment & Securities. It requires a brokerage account and API approval. ...

Overview Understanding Korean tax rules is essential for foreign investors in the KRX. The good news: most foreign investors pay little to no capital gains tax on Korean stocks. Disclaimer: This is general information only. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation. Korean Capital Gains Tax for Foreign Investors General Rule: Mostly Exempt Foreign investors are generally exempt from Korean capital gains tax on listed Korean stocks (KOSPI/KOSDAQ) under most tax treaties. ...

Why Korean Dividend Stocks? Korean stocks are known for their low valuations and historically lower dividend yields compared to global peers. However, dividend culture in Korea has been improving significantly since 2022, driven by: Government pressure on companies to return cash to shareholders The Korea Discount narrowing campaign Corporate governance reforms What to Look For When screening Korean dividend stocks, focus on: Dividend yield above 3% Payout history of 5+ consecutive years Payout ratio below 60% (sustainable) Strong free cash flow Low debt ratio Top Dividend-Paying Sectors in Korea 1. Telecom Korean telecom companies (KT, SK Telecom, LG Uplus) consistently pay 4-6% dividend yields with stable cash flows. ...

Where to Find Korean Financial Statements DART (Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System) DART (dart.fss.or.kr) is Korea’s official financial disclosure system — equivalent to the US SEC EDGAR. All Korean listed companies must file reports here. DART now offers an English interface and many large companies file English versions of their reports. Key Report Types Korean Name English Name Frequency 사업보고서 Annual Report Yearly 반기보고서 Semi-annual Report Every 6 months 분기보고서 Quarterly Report Every 3 months 공정공시 Fair Disclosure As needed Key Financial Terms Income Statement (손익계산서) Korean English 매출액 Revenue / Sales 영업이익 Operating Income 당기순이익 Net Income EPS (주당순이익) Earnings Per Share Balance Sheet (재무상태표) Korean English 자산총계 Total Assets 부채총계 Total Liabilities 자본총계 Total Equity 부채비율 Debt-to-Equity Ratio Key Ratios Korean English What to Look For PER P/E Ratio Lower = cheaper PBR P/B Ratio Below 1 = undervalued ROE Return on Equity Higher = better DIV Dividend Yield Higher = more income Using DART API for Automated Data DART provides a free API for programmatic access: ...

Why Korea Dominates EV Batteries South Korea is home to three of the world’s top EV battery manufacturers, collectively known as the K-Battery trio: LG Energy Solution (373220) — World’s second largest EV battery maker Samsung SDI (006400) — Premium batteries for BMW, Stellantis SK On (subsidiary of SK Innovation 096770) — Batteries for Ford, Hyundai Together, these three companies supply batteries to most major global automakers. The K-Battery Supply Chain Korea’s battery ecosystem extends beyond the three cell makers: ...

Overview The Korean stock market (KRX) and US stock market (NYSE/NASDAQ) share many similarities but have important structural differences that every investor should understand. Key Differences at a Glance Factor Korean Market (KRX) US Market (NYSE/NASDAQ) Daily price limit ±30% None Short selling Heavily restricted Broadly allowed Market hours 9:00-15:30 KST 9:30-16:00 EST Pre/after market Limited Extended (4AM-8PM) Settlement T+2 T+1 Circuit breakers Multiple levels Single level Retail participation Very high (~70%) Lower (~30%) Insider trading rules Strict Strict Daily Price Limits One of the most distinctive features of the Korean market: stocks cannot move more than ±30% in a single day. ...

Background I’ve been actively trading Korean stocks on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ for years. After spending too many hours watching charts, I decided to automate part of my trading strategy using the KIS API. This post shares what I built, what worked, and what I learned — including mistakes. The Strategy My bot focuses on momentum scalping on KOSPI stocks: Screen for stocks with high volume breakouts in the first 30 minutes Enter positions with defined risk (1-2% of account per trade) Exit on target profit or stop loss Maximum 3 concurrent positions System Architecture GitHub Actions (scheduler) ↓ Python Script ↓ ↓ ↓ KIS API pykrx Telegram Bot (trading) (data) (alerts) Core Components 1. Market Scanner from pykrx import stock import pandas as pd def scan_breakouts(min_volume_ratio=2.0): """Find stocks with unusual volume""" today = stock.get_market_ticker_list(market="KOSPI") breakouts = [] for ticker in today[:100]: # Limit for demo try: df = stock.get_market_ohlcv_by_date( prev_date, today_date, ticker ) if len(df) < 20: continue avg_volume = df["거래량"].mean() current_volume = df["거래량"].iloc[-1] if current_volume > avg_volume * min_volume_ratio: breakouts.append({ "ticker": ticker, "volume_ratio": current_volume / avg_volume }) except: continue return sorted(breakouts, key=lambda x: x["volume_ratio"], reverse=True) 2. Order Execution (KIS API) def place_market_order(ticker, quantity, order_type="buy", token=None): url = "https://openapi.koreainvestment.com:9443/uapi/domestic-stock/v1/trading/order-cash" tr_id = "TTTC0802U" if order_type == "buy" else "TTTC0801U" headers = { "authorization": f"Bearer {token}", "appkey": APP_KEY, "appsecret": APP_SECRET, "tr_id": tr_id } body = { "CANO": ACCOUNT_NO, "ACNT_PRDT_CD": "01", "PDNO": ticker, "ORD_DVSN": "01", # Market order "ORD_QTY": str(quantity), "ORD_UNPR": "0" } res = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=body) return res.json() Key Lessons Learned What Worked Automating the scanning phase saved significant time Telegram alerts for signals I review manually before execution Strict position sizing rules enforced by code What Did Not Work Fully automated execution without human review (too many false signals) Running during the first 5 minutes of market open (too volatile) Ignoring market regime (bot designed for trending markets struggled in choppy conditions) Risk Management Rules Never risk more than 2% of account per trade Maximum 3 concurrent positions Hard daily loss limit of 5% — bot stops automatically No trading during major news events Current Status The bot currently runs in semi-automated mode: it scans and sends signals via Telegram, but I manually approve each trade before execution. This hybrid approach has been more profitable than either full automation or pure manual trading.

What is Foreign Investor Registration? Foreign Investor Registration (외국인투자자 등록) is a registration process required for foreign individuals and entities who want to directly invest in Korean securities. As of recent regulatory changes, the requirements have been significantly simplified. However, understanding the current rules is still important. Do You Need to Register? It depends on how you invest: Investment Method Registration Required? Through Interactive Brokers No Through a Korean domestic broker Yes (broker handles it) Direct purchase on KRX Yes Korean ETFs listed abroad (EWY) No Most foreign investors using international brokers do NOT need to personally register — the broker handles compliance. ...