PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF)
| Assets | $78.94M |
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% |
| PE Ratio | 12.97 |
| Forward PE | n/a |
| Shares Out | 2.59M |
| Dividend | $2.22 (7.80%) |
| Ex-Dividend Date | Dec 30, 2025 |
| Payout Frequency | n/a |
| Payout Ratio | 105.33% |
| Volume | 47,832 |
| Open | 28.57 |
| Previous Close | 28.25 |
| Day's Range | 28.50 - 28.83 |
| 52-Week Low | 28.25 |
| 52-Week High | 67.41 |
| Beta | n/a |
| Holdings | 21 |
| Inception Date | Feb 5, 2025 |
About KDEF
Fund Home PageThe PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Korea Defense Industry index. The fund is passively managed to track an index which provides concentrated exposure to Koreas leading defense companies. The fund uses an AI program to identify, score and select companies for industry relevance KDEF was launched on Feb 5, 2025 and is issued by PLUS.
Top 10 Holdings
66.03% of assets| Name | Symbol | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Hanwha Aerospace Co., Ltd. | 012450 | 18.92% |
| Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | 047810 | 6.94% |
| Hyundai Rotem Company | 064350 | 6.39% |
| LIG Defense&Aerospace Co., Ltd. | 079550 | 5.62% |
| SNT Motiv Co., Ltd. | 064960 | 5.28% |
| SK oceanplant Co.,Ltd | 100090 | 5.19% |
| Snt Dynamics Co.,Ltd. | 003570 | 5.04% |
| Poongsan Corporation | 103140 | 4.39% |
| Satrec Initiative Co., Ltd. | 099320 | 4.13% |
| Samhyun Co., Ltd. | 437730 | 4.12% |
Performance
KDEF had a total return of -33.98% in the past year, including dividends. Since the fund's inception, the average annual return has been 21.38%.
News
Exchange Traded Concepts Takes Client ETFs to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange
A Korean sponsor, a U.S. launch and now a listing in Abu Dhabi: ETC completes the cross-listing of Hanwha Asset Management's KDEF and KMCA. OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Exchange Traded ...
Bank of Korea Warns of Destabilizing Impact of High-Risk AI Trades
A surge of investment in leveraged exchange-traded funds generated significant volatility in the domestic stock market, the Bank of Korea said.
South Korea is positioned to capture reindustrialization trend: Mizuho
Sean Darby, Equity Strategist at Mizuho, says reindustrialization is re-emerging as a key investment theme, driven in part by Middle East tensions that are spurring investment in LNG and other energy ...
'I couldn't breathe': South Korea's frenzied stock trading exposes margin loan risks
Lee Seung-ho watched the nearly 300 million won ($202,515) stock trading fortune he built with a 500% margin loan evaporate in just four weeks in May, but he plans to borrow again and return to the m...
South Korea Regulators Unveil Curbs on High-Risk ETFs
The Financial Services Commission said Thursday that it would suspend new listings of single-stock leveraged ETFs.
Bank of Korea Raise Rates for First Time Since 2023
South Korea's central bank raised its base rate for the first time in three-and-a-half years, joining global peers in tightening monetary policy to counter inflationary pressures fueled by the U.S.-Ir...
South Korea forecasts 2026 economic growth at 5-year high on AI chip boom
South Korea pledged on Tuesday to swiftly advance artificial intelligence investments to bolster economic performance, as it raised its 2026 growth forecast to a five-year high of 3.0% on the back of...
It was the world's hottest stock market. Now South Korea's stock-market index has entered bear-market territory
The cumulative impact of several different narratives – competition, sustainability, excessive leverage, international outflows- has sapped the Korean market of its upward mobility since clocking up a...
South Korean shares slump 5.2% as AI valuation concerns trigger chip stock selloff
South Korean shares fell sharply for a third consecutive session on Wednesday, with heavy losses in semiconductor stocks and growing concerns over AI-related valuations dragging the benchmark index in...
South Korea's Exports Post Biggest Surge Since 1978
Exports were powered by the unabated demand for advanced chips to fuel the global artificial-intelligence boom, resulting in their largest increase in nearly five decades.
Korea's Chips Rally Is Driving Its Stock Market Into a Danger Zone
The rally driven by the global artificial-intelligence boom has exposed structural vulnerabilities in a stock market unaccustomed to wild swings.
Korean Stocks Plunge 9% on Chip Selloff
South Korean stocks were hit by a second trading suspension this week as chipmakers plunged, highlighting the market's sensitivity to swings in global artificial-intelligence sentiment. The benchmark ...
Bank of Korea Warns Inflation May Stay Elevated Despite Middle East Truce
South Korea is likely to see elevated inflation for a prolonged period as higher energy costs spread into the broader economy and creates fresh risks for policymakers, the Bank of Korea said.
Korean Stocks Under Pressure, Jensen Huang in Seoul
South Korean stocks plunged as investors pulled back from artificial intelligence bets. Meanwhile, a tech-centered camaraderie was on display last week with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's night out in Seou...
One quadrillion is the number used to describe the wealth effect of South Korea's stock-market miracle
Having more than doubled already this year, Korea's stock market returns have driven a wealth effect that under an optimistic scenario could generate a wealth effect among the populace of KRW 43 trill...
The hottest stock market in the world has doubled this year. Now Goldman Sachs sees another 40% gain from here.
Earnings are the principal driver behind the breathtaking rallies achieved by Korean and Taiwanese benchmark indices in 2026, and Goldman Sachs thinks the market is still underestimating the longevity...
South Korea Inflation Accelerated to 26-Month High in May
The benchmark consumer-price index rose 3.1% from a year earlier in May, reflecting the effects of higher oil prices amid Middle East tensions and the won's weakness against the U.S. dollar.
Korean chip stocks will win no matter who survives the AI giants' 'deathmatch': KB Financial Group
Peter Kim, global investment strategist at KB Financial Group, says from a valuations and fundamentals perspective, we are "not even halfway through" the rally in South Korea's semiconductor and memor...
Bank of Korea Holds Rates Steady, Raises Inflation and Growth Forecasts
South Korea's central bank held rates steady at its first meeting under Gov. Shin Hyun-song, but kept the door open to policy tightening as it forecast higher growth and inflation.
Debt-fueled bets turbocharge South Korean stock-market returns as Kospi jumps 8%
News that Samsung management had managed to negotiate successfully with labor unions prompted a steepling rally in SOuth Korean stocks, augmented by the bullish comments from Nvidia's CEO about the AI...
Goldman Sachs says AI and energy resilience are creating a North-South divide in Asian markets
Investors are focusing on AI developments in North Asia. China is coming out of more than three years of deflation measured by the producer price index.
Korean Stocks Are Up 89%. Hedge Funders Suggest How to Play It.
South Korea is often-overlooked but its stock market is the hottest in the world this year. The boom is led by chip powerhouses SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics.