South Korea is experiencing a gold investment boom, with gold banking balances exceeding ₩1.1 trillion ($825 million) in April 2025, nearly double the figure from a year ago. Physical gold demand has also surged, with April sales of gold bars reaching ₩34.87 billion ($26 million), more than four times higher than April 2024. This increased demand has caused supply shortages, forcing manufacturers to temporarily halt distribution earlier this year. Banks are now gradually resuming sales of various gold bar sizes as inventory improves, with prices in Korea’s gold market up 16.3% since the end of 2024.

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Why Gold Spikes Every Time Hormuz Opens — And Why It Never Holds
Every time the Strait of Hormuz briefly reopens, gold spikes. Every time, it reverses. It’s happened twice since February 28 — and it’s the same mechanism both times. Here’s why the spike never holds, and what would actually change it.




