"Do Patriotic Companies Hit the Upper Limit?"...Where Has the Patriotic DNA Gone?

[Financial News] Companies that gained a reputation as "patriotic firms" have been hitting the daily upper limit, and the search for "patriotic stocks" has become a trend among retail investors.
 According to the Korea Exchange on the 15th, Monami closed at 3,445 won, up 30% from the previous day. The stock hit the upper limit, lifting its market capitalization to 65.1 billion won. Monami's share price has continued a steep climb this month as retail investors piled in with supportive buying. Recently, online communities and social media have revived the company as a leading domestic brand that replaces Japanese writing instruments, fueling a buy-and-invest movement under the slogan, "Let's save good companies."
Enex also hit the upper limit again on the day, following the previous trading session, marking a second consecutive limit-up. The stock, which had fallen to as low as 908 won intraday on the 8th, surged to 2,120 won on the day, more than doubling in just one week. Its market capitalization also rose to 25.1 billion won. Enex was included among patriotic theme stocks after it became known that the company had donated student furniture, beds and storage units to child care facilities and welfare institutions.
Among listed company owners, direct descendants of independence activists or figures who helped preserve Korean culture are few and far between. In most cases, only the founder's personal philanthropy or corporate support for the independence movement is known. It is rare for the current owner in charge of management to be a direct descendant of a patriotic figure.
A representative example is Chun In-seok, CEO of Sam Chun Dang Pharm. He is the biological grandson of Jeon Hyeong-pil, better known by his art name Gansong, who used his own fortune to protect Korea's cultural heritage during the Japanese colonial period. Gansong is widely regarded as the man who prevented national treasures such as the Hunminjeongeum Haerye-bon and the celadon inlaid cloud-and-crane-pattern maebyeong from being taken overseas.
Hanmi Semiconductor also draws attention. The family of founder Chairman Kwak No-gwon is known to be descendants of independence activist Kwak Han-so. Hanmi Semiconductor is now led by Chairman Kwak Dong-shin, the great-grandson of the independence patriot Kwak Han-so. In particular, Vice Chairman Kwak drew notice for cultural heritage preservation when he won an auction in South Korea in 2024 to repatriate a handwritten work by independence activist An Jung-geun.
Although it is not an owner-led company, Yuhan should not be overlooked. Founder Ilhan New is regarded as a leading patriotic entrepreneur who supported the independence movement in the United States and took part in Heungsadan activities.
There are also many cases in which companies supported the independence movement at the corporate level. Dong Wha Pharmaceutical is regarded as a national company that devoted part of the profits from Whal Myung Su sales to funding the independence movement. Kyungbang also holds significance in Korea's industrial history as a representative company that grew on the basis of national capital during the Japanese colonial period.
A business source said, "Among current listed company owners, direct descendants of independence activists or figures who protected Korean culture are extremely rare," adding, "Instead, the founder's personal support for the independence movement and the role of companies as national enterprises have formed an important pillar of Korean corporate history."

fair@fnnews.com Han Young-joon Reporter