This photo taken Oct. 24, 2025, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – Foreigners’ ownership of shares listed on South Korea’s main bourse has topped 1,000 trillion won (US$694 billion) on the back of the robust performance of the market this year, data showed Sunday.
The combined value of foreign holdings in the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) market came to 1,125 trillion won as of Friday, taking up 35 percent of the market capitalization at 3,243 trillion won, according to the data compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency.
The value of overseas investors’ stock ownership marked a significant rise from 632 trillion won tallied at the end of 2024, when they accounted for 32.2 percent of the market cap, the data showed.
Foreigners mostly purchased big-tech firms, including Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc., with their holdings in the companies estimated at 305 trillion won and 204 trillion won, respectively.
Analysts attributed the buying spree by foreigners to growing optimism over the global semiconductor industry, coupled with the South Korean government’s market-friendly policies.
Kim Young-il, head of research at Daishin Securities Co., said foreigners’ appetite for South Korean shares has improved amid the growing consensus that local stocks have been undervalued compared with their peers in the global market.
“While South Korean companies are expected to benefit from the boom in the artificial intelligence industry, the government’s efforts to strengthen industrial and investment policies have led to an influx of foreign investors,” Kim said.
The KOSPI closed at yet another fresh high Friday, advancing 2.5 percent to 3,941.59.
(Yonhap)
