The total number of investors in the Korean stock market stood at 3,970 thousands as of the year-end of 2002, showing a modest increase of 2.1 percent over a year earlier. This represented 8.3 percent of the total population and 17.4 percent of economically active population. Of them, 3,094 thousands invested in the KSE-listed stocks, while 1,775 thousands invested in the KOSDAQ-registered stocks. 899 thousands investors put their money in both markets.
Shareownership Profile
Korea Stock Exchange
In the KSE market, individuals and institutional investors held 35.5 percent and 24.6 percent of total listed shares, and 22.3 percent and 15.9 percent of total market capitalization, respectively. Foreign investors held 11.5 percent of total number of listed shares, but in terms of market capitalization they held 36.0 percent. As a result of the privatization of KT Corporation, the market value of listed stocks held by the government and public bodies fell to 5.7 percent from 8.2 percent in 2001. On the other hand, in terms of market capitalization, ownership holding by the corporations went up from 17.2 percent to 20.1 percent in 2002.
KOSDAQ
In the KOSDAQ market, individuals held 66.3 percent of the total registered shares, accounting for 47.8 percent of the market value. Corporations and institutional investors owned 17.6 percent and 7.3 percent of total registered shares with 17.6 percent and 11.3 percent of the market capitalization, respectively. Foreign investors shareholding amounted to 4.3 percent in terms of number of shares and 10.5 percent in terms of market value.
