Roh`s death likely to have limited effect on Seoul bourse: analysts

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The death of former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun
is expected to have a limited impact on the Seoul stock market although investor
sentiment may be hurt in the short term, analysts said Saturday.
Roh, who served as South Korea's president from 2003 to 2008, was confirmed dead
by a regional hospital Saturday morning amid a probe into a bribery scandal. He
is believed to have committed suicide by jumping off a mountainside in his
hometown of Gimhae, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul.
Analysts said the death is likely to have a muted effect on the local stock
market as the incident is not directly linked to the economy.
"His death will not have a big impact on the Seoul bourse. But if the incident
sparks social conflict between conservatives and liberals, investors could feel
jitters," said Ku Hee-jin, a senior analyst at Daishin Securities Co.
The South Korean stock market has not shown vulnerability to geopolitical risks
stemming from North Korea or political issues which do not have direct links to
the economy.
The country's key stock index recouped losses in about 15 sessions after tumbling
2.4 percent on the day North Korea tested a nuclear bomb in 2006. The Seoul
bourse also shook off the communist country's defiant rocket launch on April 5.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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