Investing Population
- Total investing population: 3,937,000 (representing 8.2% of total population)
- KSE: 3,239,321
- KOSDAQ: 1,594,511
Shareownership Profile
- KSE
- In terms of no. of shares held : individuals 37.1%, institutions 16.5%, foreigners 18.0%, government 6.7%, corporations 21.7%
- In terms of market capitalization: individuals 19.7%, institutions 16.7%, foreigners 40.1%, government 4.5%, corporations 19.0%
- KOSDAQ
- In terms of no. of shares held: individuals 70.1%, institutions 4.9%, foreigners 6.2%, government 1.7%, corporations 17.0%
- In terms of market capitalization: individuals 57.4%, institutions 6.2%, foreigners 14.4%, government 5.0%, corporations 17.0%
1. Investing Population
The total number of investors in the Korean stock market stood at 3,937 thousands as of the year-end of 2003, showing a modest decrease of 0.9 percent over a year earlier. This represented 8.2 percent of the total population and 17.2 percent of economically active population. Of them, 3,239 thousands invested in the KSE-listed stocks, while 1,594 thousands invested in the KOSDAQ-registered stocks. 897 thousands investors put their money in both markets.
| Year | Stock Investing Population (a) | Economically Active Population (b) | (a/b, %) | Total Population (c) | (a/c, %) |
| 1999 | 4,182 | 21,666 | 19.3 | 46,858 | 8.9 |
| 2000 | 4,000 | 22,069 | 18.1 | 47,274 | 8.5 |
| 2001 | 3,888 | 22,417 | 17.3 | 47,343 | 8.2 |
| 2002 | 3,974 | 22,877 | 17.4 | 47,640 | 8.3 |
| 2003 | 3,937 | 22,922 | 17.2 | 47,925 | 8.2 |
2. Shareownership Profile
- Korea Stock Exchange
In the KSE market, individuals and institutional investors held 37.1 percent and 16.5 percent of total listed shares, and 19.7 percent and 16.7 percent of total market capitalization, respectively. Foreign investors held 18.0 percent of total number of listed shares, but in terms of market capitalization they held 40.1 percent. The market value of listed stocks held by the government and public bodies fell to 4.5 percent from 5.7 percent in 2002.
- KOSDAQ
In the KOSDAQ market, individuals held 70.1 percent of the total registered shares, accounting for 57.4 percent of the market value. Corporations and institutional investors owned 17.0 percent and 4.9 percent of total registered shares with 17.0 percent and 6.2 percent of the market capitalization, respectively. Foreign investor shareholding amounted to 6.2 percent in terms of number of shares and 14.4 percent in terms of market value.
Click here for the KSE 2003 shareownership profile.
