| Certified Securities Investment Advisor | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 증권투자상담사 |
| Hanja | 證卷投資商談師 |
| Revised Romanization | Jeunggwon Tuja Sangdamsa |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chŭnggwŏn T'uja Sangdamsa |
In South Korea, a Certified Securities Investment Advisor (CSIA) is a certified professional permitted to offer investment advice to clients and to accept purchase and sale orders for certain financial products on their behalf.[1] The products which CSIAs are permitted to handle include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, beneficiary certificates, and equity-linked warrants; however, the handling of futures, options, and over-the-counter derivatives is reserved for Certified Derivatives Investment Advisors. As of 2010[update], there were 111,214 registered CSIAs.[2]
To become a CSIA, one must pass the qualifying examination offered by the Korea Institute of Financial Investment, an arm of the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA).[1] In July 2008 (the 69th sitting of the examination), 16,117 candidates took the examination, of whom 5,687 (35%) passed. Among the examinees, 894 were employees of securities firms, while the remaining 4,793 were university students or other ordinary people.[3] Younger people are also known to take the examination; for example, in July 2011, an 11-year old primary school student passed the examination and became the youngest CSIA ever.[4]