화상영어 수업 15회차 (한국 주식 투자 열풍)

1 in 4 Koreans Think Stocks Are the Best Investment

 

More and more people believe stocks are the best investment as the Korean stock market continues a bull run. According to a poll of 1,000 people by Gallup Korea last week, a quarter of respondents chose stock investment as the best way to increase their money, up from 11 percent in the same survey last July. "The nine surveys we've conducted since 2000 show that stock investments, which entail the risk of losing the principal, usually lagged behind real estate, but they became extremely popular this year," a Gallup staffer said. The proportion who chose residential property was still just ahead with 27 percent, but that was down from 36 percent last July. The proportion of who favored investing in land fell from 19 to 14 percent over the same period.  Moon Yoon-jung at Shinhan Investment Corporation said, "Residential property and land now entail high taxes and numerous regulations that make them less appealing, but it's easy to liquidate stocks and they're currently not taxed." At present three in 10 Koreans invest in stocks. The largest group are in their 30s and 40s with 38 percent, but the proportion among 20-somethings surged from 12 percent to 27 percent. Seven out of 10 people who invested in stocks last year said they made a profit, the first time they have outnumbered net losers. Retail investors also have a rosy outlook for the future, with 41 percent saying they believe the KOSPI will rise even further this year. 

 

VOCABULARY:

 

1. bull Run (noun) - is a long, extended period in the market when stock prices are on the rise

2. entail (verb) - involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence

3. principal (noun) - a sum of money lent or invested, on which interest is paid

4. appealing (adjective) - attractive or interesting

5. liquidate (verb) - convert assets into cash

6. rosy (adjective) - promising or suggesting good fortune or happiness; hopeful

 

예습 내용

[Summary]

Korean people are increasingly investing in stocks as the Korean stock market continues a bull run. Historically, Korean people loved investing in real estate such as residential properties and lands, but since the government slapped heavy taxes and implemented numerous regulations, people find these properties less appealing. Even though there are risks of losing the principal, among the 20s to 40s the stock investment is emerging as the best way to increase your money. Plus, stocks are easy to liquidate, and currently, the taxes are much lower compared to the others. Surprisingly, seven out of ten people said they made a profit.

 

[COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS]

1. How much of a percentage of the respondents chose stocks as the best way to increase their money?

> A quarter of respondents chose stock investment as the best way to expand their money.

 

2. Why are residential properties and lands less appealing as a form of investment these days?

> The government imposed heavy taxes and implemented tons of regulations on those properties.

 

3. What makes stocks appealing as a form of investment?

> Divestment is much easier and the taxes are much lower. In this article, it says there is no tax currently, but it is not true. There are three taxes regarding stocks in Korea. There are a transfer income tax, income tax for dividends, and stock exchange tax. And as the stock investment is booming, the government is attempting to increase the transfer income tax.

 

[DISCUSSION QUESTIONS]

1. What does the increase in the number of people who thinks stocks is the best investment imply in the current economic situation of Korea?

> Well, ironically, the bull run in the Korean stock market has nothing to do with the Korean economy. Our economy is still struggling, the unemployment rate is surging, and thousands of businesses are closing. It’s more likely to be related to the weak US dollar. As the Fed (the Federal Reserve Bank) has been releasing an astronomical amount of dollars to boost the economy, the dollar has dropped in value. And, as there is so much money in the market, the liquidity increases, and the overflowing dollars are going to the emerging markets. We are one of them. With this background, the Korean stocks went up, and this triggered public investment. We call the public investors, I mean the individual investors, ants. The ant investors started investing in stocks, and the trend is now widespread.

 

2. Do you invest in stocks? If yes, tell me about it. If no, would you want to do it in the future.

> I am investing in American stocks. I’ve already invested 4,000 dollars and I made a profit of 1,000 dollars. I am investing in Microsoft, Qualcomm, a semiconductor company, NIO, a Chinese electric vehicle company, Disney, some Reitzes, government bonds, etc. And now I am considering buying some stocks from Lockheed Martine, a defense industry company.

 

3. What are the things one must consider in investing in a company?

> Before the investment, you need to do some research on the target company. For example, I read financial documents and analysis reports from financial institutions and watch videos about the company to check key points. People need to check the PE(price to earnings) ratio, the debt, operating profit margin of the company. Of course, you need to learn if the prospect of the field is promising. I saw many people just decided to invest because they heard the company’s stock would go up high. I think that is very irresponsible. You cannot just invest your money because someone told you so, given the risk. You can lose all the principal.

 

평가 및 피드백

1. Korean people are currently investing in stocks.
CORRECT
>>or: Koreans are recently into stocks.

2. There are risks of losing their capital.
CORRECT
>>or: There are dangers of losing the investment.

* 음... capital이 아니라 principal이라고 했는데...8ㅅ8 capital이라고 들렸나?

3. The taxes are much lower compared to the others.
CORRECT
>>or: There's lower tariff compared to the rest.

* tariff는 관세이기 때문에 여기에서는 적절하지는 않은 것 같다. compared to the rest 사용하는 연습.

4. I used to do that but not now.
CORRECT
>>or: I did practice that before but not anymore.

5. I am liquidating my stocks.
CORRECT
>>or: I have to be liquid.

6. Since the job entails a lot of responsibilities, I decided to resign.
CORRECT
>>or: Since the job imposes heavy responsibilities, I tendered my resignation.

* resign이 아니라 turn down the offer라고 했는뎁...ㅎ 대화하느라 못들으셨나보다

7. Unemployment rate is surging, the dollars have dropped in value.
CORRECT
>>or: Unemployment is on the rise, and the dollar rate has depreciated.

* 이 두 문장은 각각 따로 말했는데 왜 붙어있지...ㅎ?

8. My major is Biology.
CORRECT
>>or: I majored in Biology.

 

음... 요즘 피드백을 보면 내가 하지 않았던 말이 피드백에 적혀 있거나 하는 경우가 있어서 당황스럽다... ㅠㅠ 그리고 선생님이 생각보다 점수를 너무 후하게 주시는데.. 다른 선생님과 동일한 수업을 비교해도 훨씬 높게 주신다. 처음엔 좋은 것 같았는데 지금은 더 비판적으로 ㅠㅠ 나의 오류를 마구 잡아주셨으면 좋겠다...ㅠㅠㅠ...

 

그리고 오늘은 수업이 기사에서 너무 프리토킹으로 넘어가서 당황스러웠음.. 음... 수업 내용을 다 못나가서 오늘 저녁에 다른 선생님하고 다시 수업해봐야겠다.